https://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/smart-news/RSS feed for Smart NewsenWed, 15 Jul 2026 19:40:22 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/astronomers-noticed-a-mysterious-spot-appearing-in-telescope-images-it-turned-out-to-be-the-faintest-exoplanet-ever-imaged-from-earth-180989133/The gas giant, called Beta Pictoris d, had been hiding in plain sight for more than a decade, until two independent teams verified its existenceWed, 15 Jul 2026 19:40:22 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/astronomers-noticed-a-mysterious-spot-appearing-in-telescope-images-it-turned-out-to-be-the-faintest-exoplanet-ever-imaged-from-earth-180989133/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ai-music-is-already-here-to-protect-human-artists-the-record-industry-proposes-labels-for-it-like-those-for-explicit-lyrics-180989128/The proposal comes as A.I.-generated music makes up an increasing share of what’s available on streaming platformsWed, 15 Jul 2026 18:47:10 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ai-music-is-already-here-to-protect-human-artists-the-record-industry-proposes-labels-for-it-like-those-for-explicit-lyrics-180989128/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-egyptians-believed-that-these-newly-discovered-gold-tongues-allowed-the-dead-to-communicate-in-the-afterlife-180989127/Excavations at Marina el-Alamein, an archaeological site west of Alexandria, unearthed about two dozen of the rare artifacts, including one shaped like the Eye of HorusWed, 15 Jul 2026 17:31:42 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-egyptians-believed-that-these-newly-discovered-gold-tongues-allowed-the-dead-to-communicate-in-the-afterlife-180989127/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-first-scientists-witness-the-seafloor-spread-in-real-time-giving-them-a-rare-glimpse-at-a-mysterious-geologic-process-180989123/Across a matter of days in 2024, the seafloor in part of the Indian Ocean dropped by about 13 feet, and roughly 5.7 billion cubic feet of molten rock rose to the crust's surface, according to a new studyWed, 15 Jul 2026 16:02:29 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-first-scientists-witness-the-seafloor-spread-in-real-time-giving-them-a-rare-glimpse-at-a-mysterious-geologic-process-180989123/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-first-astronomers-find-sugar-in-the-space-between-stars-providing-new-clues-about-the-origins-of-life-on-earth-180989122/Sugars are crucial components of RNA and DNA, the basis of all known organisms alive today. In a new study, the sugar erythrulose was detected in a gas- and dust-filled cloud near the center of our Milky Way galaxyWed, 15 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-first-astronomers-find-sugar-in-the-space-between-stars-providing-new-clues-about-the-origins-of-life-on-earth-180989122/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-t-rex-fossil-could-fetch-the-largest-sum-of-any-dinosaur-ever-auctioned-scientists-worry-theyll-lose-the-chance-to-study-it-180989114/Bids on "Gus" will start at $19 million, a steep price for public institutions. Specimens in private collections can be harder for researchers to examine, and they're practically impossible to include in studies in top-tier scientific journalsMon, 13 Jul 2026 20:13:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-t-rex-fossil-could-fetch-the-largest-sum-of-any-dinosaur-ever-auctioned-scientists-worry-theyll-lose-the-chance-to-study-it-180989114/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-sak-tahn-waax-a-maya-math-whiz-who-lived-more-than-1000-years-ago-and-left-behind-a-really-elegant-complex-formula-180989125/For the first time, archaeologists identified one of the culture’s famed Classic era mathematicians and astronomersWed, 15 Jul 2026 13:03:15 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-sak-tahn-waax-a-maya-math-whiz-who-lived-more-than-1000-years-ago-and-left-behind-a-really-elegant-complex-formula-180989125/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-english-kings-bones-were-moved-over-centuries-and-eventually-lost-one-researcher-claims-he-discovered-their-location-under-a-parking-lot-180989121/Alfred the Great defended Wessex from the Vikings. Researchers have been searching for his remains for years after their resting place in an abbey was disturbedTue, 14 Jul 2026 20:37:52 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-english-kings-bones-were-moved-over-centuries-and-eventually-lost-one-researcher-claims-he-discovered-their-location-under-a-parking-lot-180989121/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/heres-how-these-adorable-mice-can-live-at-an-extremely-high-elevation-where-no-other-mammal-is-known-to-survive-180989116/The Andean leaf-eared mouse has adaptations that help it generate body heat efficiently in frigid, low-oxygen conditions at 22,000 feet above sea level, according to a new studyTue, 14 Jul 2026 18:45:04 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/heres-how-these-adorable-mice-can-live-at-an-extremely-high-elevation-where-no-other-mammal-is-known-to-survive-180989116/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-700-year-old-english-church-nearly-closed-but-then-the-vicar-discovered-a-stash-of-gold-coins-under-the-altar-180989120/Just before Easter, a box of gold bullion minted in the 1990s changed the outlook for a tiny congregation struggling to cover costly repairsTue, 14 Jul 2026 18:26:38 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-700-year-old-english-church-nearly-closed-but-then-the-vicar-discovered-a-stash-of-gold-coins-under-the-altar-180989120/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-has-roman-concrete-lasted-for-millennia-a-1900-year-old-latrine-offers-new-clues-about-the-materials-impressive-durability-180989115/A chemical process called carbonation, which helps seal cracks, could help explain why many ancient Roman structures are still standing today. Researchers hope that the insights will lead to better modern-day building materialsTue, 14 Jul 2026 15:54:46 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-has-roman-concrete-lasted-for-millennia-a-1900-year-old-latrine-offers-new-clues-about-the-materials-impressive-durability-180989115/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-the-first-right-handed-animal-a-worm-like-creature-that-lived-about-550-million-years-ago-180989107/During the Ediacaran period, the critter wriggled around on the ocean floor of what’s now South Australia and preferred to turn right, a fossil analysis suggestsTue, 14 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-the-first-right-handed-animal-a-worm-like-creature-that-lived-about-550-million-years-ago-180989107/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/romans-put-their-faith-in-guardian-spirits-archaeologists-just-found-a-rare-1600-year-old-carving-of-one-in-northern-england-180989118/Known as a “genius,” the protective spirit or deity was believed to bring good fortune and prosperity to a particular person, household or place. Archaeologists haven't found many depictions of them across Roman BritainTue, 14 Jul 2026 11:45:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/romans-put-their-faith-in-guardian-spirits-archaeologists-just-found-a-rare-1600-year-old-carving-of-one-in-northern-england-180989118/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/thomas-jeffersons-original-rough-draft-of-the-declaration-of-independence-can-be-seen-at-library-of-congress-180989113/The new exhibition, which shows how the document was edited, also features an early copy of the Gettysburg AddressTue, 14 Jul 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/thomas-jeffersons-original-rough-draft-of-the-declaration-of-independence-can-be-seen-at-library-of-congress-180989113/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-largest-operating-steam-locomotive-in-the-world-weighs-1-2-million-pounds-now-the-historic-train-may-be-coming-to-your-town-180989112/Built in the 1940s, Big Boy No. 4014 retired in 1961 after traveling for more than one million miles. It's now making its way across the country in honor of America's 250th birthdayMon, 13 Jul 2026 17:26:51 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-largest-operating-steam-locomotive-in-the-world-weighs-1-2-million-pounds-now-the-historic-train-may-be-coming-to-your-town-180989112/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cancer-cases-are-expected-to-nearly-double-by-2050-warns-the-who-low-income-countries-will-be-disproportionately-affected-180989102/In a new report, the World Health Organization predicts that new annual diagnoses will rise from about 20.6 million today to almost 35 million by 2050. The biggest increases will be in Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean regionMon, 13 Jul 2026 15:44:42 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cancer-cases-are-expected-to-nearly-double-by-2050-warns-the-who-low-income-countries-will-be-disproportionately-affected-180989102/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nearly-150-gray-whales-have-been-found-dead-along-north-americas-pacific-shore-this-year-prompting-scientists-to-sound-the-alarm-180989109/The population of eastern gray whales, which migrate annually along the West Coast between the Arctic and Mexico, has been declining in recent years. Conservationists say 2026 could be one of the deadliest years on record for the marine mammalsMon, 13 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nearly-150-gray-whales-have-been-found-dead-along-north-americas-pacific-shore-this-year-prompting-scientists-to-sound-the-alarm-180989109/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-did-two-wolves-end-up-on-this-remote-island-thousands-of-years-ago-researchers-think-humans-brought-them-there-then-cared-for-them-180989110/The discovery suggests humans may have maintained relationships with wolves long after domesticated dogs came on the sceneMon, 13 Jul 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-did-two-wolves-end-up-on-this-remote-island-thousands-of-years-ago-researchers-think-humans-brought-them-there-then-cared-for-them-180989110/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-artifacts-that-archaeologists-discovered-in-this-1600-year-old-byzantine-christian-town-buried-in-an-oasis-in-egypt-180989106/The mud-brick village boasts streets, towers and a large church. Researchers unearthed everyday objects like grain grinders, an oven and some 200 ostraca—ancient receipts and notes written on broken potteryFri, 10 Jul 2026 20:07:04 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-artifacts-that-archaeologists-discovered-in-this-1600-year-old-byzantine-christian-town-buried-in-an-oasis-in-egypt-180989106/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cases-of-a-parasitic-infection-that-can-cause-diarrhea-for-weeks-are-rapidly-rising-in-the-us-heres-what-to-know-180989108/The illness is caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis, which spreads via food or water contaminated with feces, usually on farms. Health officials are still investigating the source of the multistate outbreakFri, 10 Jul 2026 19:26:16 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cases-of-a-parasitic-infection-that-can-cause-diarrhea-for-weeks-are-rapidly-rising-in-the-us-heres-what-to-know-180989108/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-the-latest-brazen-heist-jewelry-and-artworks-worth-5-million-were-stolen-from-famed-french-designer-lalique-museum-180989105/A trio of burglars stole 27 pieces, including a dragonfly pendant, from the Lalique Museum in eastern FranceFri, 10 Jul 2026 17:57:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-the-latest-brazen-heist-jewelry-and-artworks-worth-5-million-were-stolen-from-famed-french-designer-lalique-museum-180989105/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/bumblebees-seem-to-lick-their-lips-after-sweet-treats-and-shake-their-heads-at-bad-tastes-hinting-at-the-insects-inner-lives-180989098/Slow-motion videos suggest that the insects display distinct behaviors when they like or dislike a snack. The findings might offer a new way to study their emotion-like statesFri, 10 Jul 2026 15:45:42 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/bumblebees-seem-to-lick-their-lips-after-sweet-treats-and-shake-their-heads-at-bad-tastes-hinting-at-the-insects-inner-lives-180989098/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/roughly-100000-years-ago-this-man-got-stabbed-in-the-face-and-survived-hes-likely-one-of-the-first-known-victims-of-an-attack-by-a-sharp-weapon-180989103/Researchers who investigated the remains of a young adult male found in the Qafzeh cave say the injury healed over time, which means the victim's community may have tended to himFri, 10 Jul 2026 13:53:24 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/roughly-100000-years-ago-this-man-got-stabbed-in-the-face-and-survived-hes-likely-one-of-the-first-known-victims-of-an-attack-by-a-sharp-weapon-180989103/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-culprit-behind-south-australias-deadly-algal-bloom-might-be-the-most-toxic-species-ever-tested-scientists-say-180989100/Karenia cristata, a rare type of microscopic algae that produces toxins that harm nerve cells, can be lethal at very low concentrationsFri, 10 Jul 2026 12:46:29 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-culprit-behind-south-australias-deadly-algal-bloom-might-be-the-most-toxic-species-ever-tested-scientists-say-180989100/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/are-moose-colorado-natives-or-introduced-outsiders-new-research-suggests-that-the-animals-have-lived-in-the-state-for-centuries-180989091/Officials say moose weren't established in the state until they were brought there in the late 1970s. But historical documentation and archaeological evidence indicate that they resided there long before thatThu, 09 Jul 2026 20:15:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/are-moose-colorado-natives-or-introduced-outsiders-new-research-suggests-that-the-animals-have-lived-in-the-state-for-centuries-180989091/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/country-music-legend-dolly-partons-autobiographical-musical-exploring-her-journey-from-east-tennessee-will-hit-broadway-this-winter-180989099/"Dolly: A True Original Musical" premiered last year in Nashville in Parton's home stateThu, 09 Jul 2026 19:27:59 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/country-music-legend-dolly-partons-autobiographical-musical-exploring-her-journey-from-east-tennessee-will-hit-broadway-this-winter-180989099/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/could-we-mitigate-super-el-ninos-by-artificially-changing-the-climate-a-new-study-indicates-yes-180989101/Researchers used computer models to see what would have happened had scientists caused marine cloud brightening in the face of strong past El NiñosThu, 09 Jul 2026 18:17:32 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/could-we-mitigate-super-el-ninos-by-artificially-changing-the-climate-a-new-study-indicates-yes-180989101/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-did-this-dutch-museum-cover-the-floor-with-an-800-pound-installation-of-creamy-peanut-butter-180989097/"Pindakaasvloer," or "peanut butter floor," highlights the absurd sense of humor that artist Wim T. Schippers captured in his artwork before he died last monthThu, 09 Jul 2026 18:15:35 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-did-this-dutch-museum-cover-the-floor-with-an-800-pound-installation-of-creamy-peanut-butter-180989097/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-just-learned-that-this-bat-eats-birds-midflight-a-renaissance-painter-may-have-known-about-it-hundreds-of-years-ago-180989096/Last fall, scientists reported the first known recordings of greater noctule bats hunting and feasting on songbirds during night flights. But a 17th-century artwork by Jan Brueghel the Elder seems to depict the species flying with feathered prey in its mouthThu, 09 Jul 2026 16:17:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-just-learned-that-this-bat-eats-birds-midflight-a-renaissance-painter-may-have-known-about-it-hundreds-of-years-ago-180989096/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/kazakhstans-iron-age-golden-man-and-other-elite-scythians-of-eurasia-inherited-their-high-social-status-ancient-dna-suggests-180989089/Researchers have long wondered whether upper-class members of the ancient nomadic warriors earned their social status through individual achievements or birthrightThu, 09 Jul 2026 16:04:08 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/kazakhstans-iron-age-golden-man-and-other-elite-scythians-of-eurasia-inherited-their-high-social-status-ancient-dna-suggests-180989089/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/smallpox-scabs-that-british-doctors-used-to-inoculate-patients-may-have-introduced-the-deadly-disease-to-australia-new-research-suggests-180989093/Two new studies find that British colonists arriving via ship in the late 18th century likely introduced smallpox, which devastated Aboriginal communities far more than previously knownThu, 09 Jul 2026 14:14:36 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/smallpox-scabs-that-british-doctors-used-to-inoculate-patients-may-have-introduced-the-deadly-disease-to-australia-new-research-suggests-180989093/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-images-reveal-that-this-asteroid-is-actually-two-conjoined-space-rocks-that-form-a-peanut-shaped-object-called-a-contact-binary-180989090/A flyby conducted by the Japanese spacecraft Hayabusa2 uncovered the asteroid's strange shape. Data gathered by the probe will also help defend the planet against potentially threatening space rocksWed, 08 Jul 2026 21:21:25 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-images-reveal-that-this-asteroid-is-actually-two-conjoined-space-rocks-that-form-a-peanut-shaped-object-called-a-contact-binary-180989090/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-city-of-boston-discovered-one-of-the-oldest-known-gravestones-of-a-free-black-american-who-shared-a-name-with-the-massachusetts-capital-180989088/Also known as Sebastian, he died in 1729 and is buried alongside Samuel Adams, John Hancock and Paul Revere. His life tells a story of slavery and freedom in the North before the American RevolutionWed, 08 Jul 2026 20:56:06 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-city-of-boston-discovered-one-of-the-oldest-known-gravestones-of-a-free-black-american-who-shared-a-name-with-the-massachusetts-capital-180989088/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/like-an-explosion-in-a-glass-factory-frank-gehrys-seven-ton-icehenge-desk-that-once-graced-a-skyscraper-is-up-for-auction-180989087/Designed for the Inland Steel Building in Chicago, the desk is made from more than a dozen blocks of jagged, green-tinted glassWed, 08 Jul 2026 18:23:36 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/like-an-explosion-in-a-glass-factory-frank-gehrys-seven-ton-icehenge-desk-that-once-graced-a-skyscraper-is-up-for-auction-180989087/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-this-duke-poison-his-brother-a-new-dna-analysis-may-solve-the-centuries-old-medici-mystery-180989086/Researchers found evidence of malaria in Francesco I de' Medici's bones, leading them to argue "with scientific certainty" that it was disease, not arsenic, that led to his death in 1587Wed, 08 Jul 2026 17:05:02 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-this-duke-poison-his-brother-a-new-dna-analysis-may-solve-the-centuries-old-medici-mystery-180989086/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-arctic-ocean-may-have-passed-a-crucial-tipping-point-that-could-harm-food-webs-and-worsen-climate-change-180989083/Sea ice loss seems to have triggered a decline in the nutrient nitrate, affecting the tiny organisms that form the foundations of marine food chains and absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide, according to a new studyWed, 08 Jul 2026 15:36:06 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-arctic-ocean-may-have-passed-a-crucial-tipping-point-that-could-harm-food-webs-and-worsen-climate-change-180989083/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/our-ancestors-loved-shell-trinkets-just-like-neanderthals-new-research-suggests-its-a-sign-of-shared-culture-across-species-180989085/Based on artifacts found in a limestone cave on the Mediterranean coast, scientists think the two species might have shared similar survival strategies, stone tool technologies and symbolic traditionsWed, 08 Jul 2026 14:26:56 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/our-ancestors-loved-shell-trinkets-just-like-neanderthals-new-research-suggests-its-a-sign-of-shared-culture-across-species-180989085/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/sperm-whales-living-in-the-eastern-mediterranean-sea-seem-to-have-developed-a-distinct-dialect-from-those-in-the-west-180989084/All Mediterranean sperm whales were thought to be part of one cultural group, identifiable by a unique pattern of clicks, or a coda. But sound recordings suggest that eastern creatures use a sped-up version of the western whales' codaWed, 08 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/sperm-whales-living-in-the-eastern-mediterranean-sea-seem-to-have-developed-a-distinct-dialect-from-those-in-the-west-180989084/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/strange-spheres-washed-ashore-on-an-australian-beach-authorities-say-theyre-probably-space-balls-empty-fuel-vessels-from-a-rocket-180989082/The shiny objects—each roughly twice the size of a basketball—began to appear on July 3. Authorities initially worried that they were hazardous but have since determined that they're likely safe bits of space junkTue, 07 Jul 2026 21:15:14 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/strange-spheres-washed-ashore-on-an-australian-beach-authorities-say-theyre-probably-space-balls-empty-fuel-vessels-from-a-rocket-180989082/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tall-trees-were-thought-to-be-more-vulnerable-to-drought-but-these-towering-plants-in-southeast-asia-have-adapted-to-move-water-efficiently-180989075/A new study found that enormous dipterocarp trees have special adaptations to transport water up to their highest limbs, challenging the assumption that they would more easily succumb to dry conditionsTue, 07 Jul 2026 19:29:28 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tall-trees-were-thought-to-be-more-vulnerable-to-drought-but-these-towering-plants-in-southeast-asia-have-adapted-to-move-water-efficiently-180989075/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-pair-of-2000-year-old-gold-rings-one-engraved-with-indian-script-was-discovered-in-an-iron-age-burial-ground-in-thailand-180989081/The engraving seems to reference an "auspicious" zodiac sign in Indian or Vedic astrologyTue, 07 Jul 2026 19:19:19 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-pair-of-2000-year-old-gold-rings-one-engraved-with-indian-script-was-discovered-in-an-iron-age-burial-ground-in-thailand-180989081/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-giant-planet-survived-the-death-of-its-star-the-james-webb-space-telescope-just-found-its-atmosphere-180989077/New observations of WD 1856 b, a gas giant closely orbiting a white dwarf, offer a preview of what could happen to Jupiter and Saturn after the sun dies in about five billion years.Tue, 07 Jul 2026 19:09:34 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-giant-planet-survived-the-death-of-its-star-the-james-webb-space-telescope-just-found-its-atmosphere-180989077/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/can-you-guess-the-origins-of-papyrus-fragments-or-painted-ceramics-a-college-student-turned-the-mets-open-access-database-into-an-online-game-180989080/If you consider yourself an art history buff, test your smarts with Anthropeum. The game pulls ten images from the Met's open-access archive and challenges players to identify each artifact's time and place of originTue, 07 Jul 2026 17:09:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/can-you-guess-the-origins-of-papyrus-fragments-or-painted-ceramics-a-college-student-turned-the-mets-open-access-database-into-an-online-game-180989080/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cyborg-cockroaches-could-help-find-survivors-of-natural-disasters-new-diving-suits-allow-the-insects-to-expand-their-search-underwater-180989066/Previously, researchers created electrical implants to control cockroaches' movements for search-and-rescue missions. Now, they've made 3D-printed suits that provide oxygen, allowing the critters to survive submerged for up to three hoursTue, 07 Jul 2026 16:01:10 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cyborg-cockroaches-could-help-find-survivors-of-natural-disasters-new-diving-suits-allow-the-insects-to-expand-their-search-underwater-180989066/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-11-wildlife-images-from-the-ocean-conservancys-photography-contest-showcase-the-wonder-of-earths-waters-180989069/Seals, penguins and fish are featured in the nonprofit’s annual competition to inspire care for the world’s oceansMon, 06 Jul 2026 22:15:10 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-11-wildlife-images-from-the-ocean-conservancys-photography-contest-showcase-the-wonder-of-earths-waters-180989069/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-space-shuttle-endeavour-in-a-unique-vertical-display-before-its-new-exhibition-launches-at-the-california-science-center-180989073/This November, visitors to the new Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center in Los Angeles will get to see the "ready-to-launch" "Endeavour" complete with rocket boosters and a fuel tankMon, 06 Jul 2026 19:21:54 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-space-shuttle-endeavour-in-a-unique-vertical-display-before-its-new-exhibition-launches-at-the-california-science-center-180989073/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/early-flowering-plants-may-have-relied-on-dinosaurs-to-eat-their-fleshy-fruits-and-spread-their-seeds-180989076/According to fossils preserved by volcanic ash, the plants, known as angiosperms, began producing relatively large, blueberry-size fruits millions of years earlier than previously thoughtMon, 06 Jul 2026 19:12:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/early-flowering-plants-may-have-relied-on-dinosaurs-to-eat-their-fleshy-fruits-and-spread-their-seeds-180989076/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-expeditiion-will-create-3d-digital-twins-of-polar-shipwrecks-tied-to-voyages-of-rival-explorers-who-raced-to-the-south-pole-180989074/Robert Falcon Scott led an expedition aboard the ship ‘Terra Nova’ and Ernest Shackleton led one from the ship ‘Quest’—but neither explorer got to plant the first flag in the heart of AntarcticaMon, 06 Jul 2026 17:44:29 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-expeditiion-will-create-3d-digital-twins-of-polar-shipwrecks-tied-to-voyages-of-rival-explorers-who-raced-to-the-south-pole-180989074/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-a-hungry-komodo-dragod-led-scientists-to-determine-our-small-hobbit-like-cousins-probably-werent-that-smart-after-all-180989078/New research indicates "Homo floresiensis" probably wasn't hunting big game or using fire on Flores Island, suggesting the small-brained species wasn't quite as "behaviorally advanced" as once hypothesizedMon, 06 Jul 2026 15:31:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-a-hungry-komodo-dragod-led-scientists-to-determine-our-small-hobbit-like-cousins-probably-werent-that-smart-after-all-180989078/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-ten-spectacular-images-from-this-years-astronomy-photographer-of-the-year-contest-that-capture-the-wonders-of-the-universe-180989065/The pictures, on the competition's shortlist, reveal the remarkable celestial objects that lie above our heads, both in deep space and closer to homeMon, 06 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-ten-spectacular-images-from-this-years-astronomy-photographer-of-the-year-contest-that-capture-the-wonders-of-the-universe-180989065/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-ai-generated-alexander-hamilton-chats-about-economics-at-the-museum-of-american-finance-opening-this-weekend-in-boston-180989071/The museum, which started in New York and hasn't had a permanent exhibition space in several years, depicts the history and influence of U.S. financial institutionsThu, 02 Jul 2026 21:28:51 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-ai-generated-alexander-hamilton-chats-about-economics-at-the-museum-of-american-finance-opening-this-weekend-in-boston-180989071/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-say-theyve-made-cells-that-feed-grow-and-reproduce-bringing-them-one-step-closer-to-building-life-from-scratch-180989070/The human-made cells show many hallmarks of life, but they can't make all their necessary internal structures or divide for very many generationsThu, 02 Jul 2026 19:53:39 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-say-theyve-made-cells-that-feed-grow-and-reproduce-bringing-them-one-step-closer-to-building-life-from-scratch-180989070/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/3d-printing-gives-new-life-to-an-ancient-game-board-discovered-at-a-roman-fort-near-hadrians-wall-in-england-180989064/Soldiers and civilians alike enjoyed the strategy game Ludus Latrunculorum in the Roman Empire, especially in Roman BritainThu, 02 Jul 2026 19:45:54 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/3d-printing-gives-new-life-to-an-ancient-game-board-discovered-at-a-roman-fort-near-hadrians-wall-in-england-180989064/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/puzzled-by-mark-rothkos-captivating-color-field-paintings-look-to-the-renaissance-masters-who-inspired-him-180989068/During trips to Europe, the American painter developed a fascination with how 15th- and 16th-century artists and architects had designed their work to evoke specific feelingsThu, 02 Jul 2026 19:01:07 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/puzzled-by-mark-rothkos-captivating-color-field-paintings-look-to-the-renaissance-masters-who-inspired-him-180989068/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/oldest-black-church-wright-brothers-homes-new-york-hospital-american-heritage-treasures-in-urgent-need-of-preservation-180989058/For its “Irreplaceable America” list in honor of the 250th birthday of the United States, the World Monuments Fund chose endangered historic sites of innovation, creativity and spirituality to publicize and supportThu, 02 Jul 2026 17:54:44 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/oldest-black-church-wright-brothers-homes-new-york-hospital-american-heritage-treasures-in-urgent-need-of-preservation-180989058/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-archival-discovery-became-a-treasure-map-leading-a-diver-to-a-17th-century-shipwreck-carrying-coins-and-gold-jewelry-180989063/See artifacts recovered thanks to a clue about the last resting place of a lost captain from an East India Company ship that went down near the Isles of ScillyThu, 02 Jul 2026 17:45:59 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-archival-discovery-became-a-treasure-map-leading-a-diver-to-a-17th-century-shipwreck-carrying-coins-and-gold-jewelry-180989063/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/earth-might-be-home-to-20-million-insect-speciesmore-than-three-times-as-many-as-previously-thought-a-study-suggests-180989062/Recent estimates have come to the consensus that our planet hosts roughly six million species. But new research reveals that those counts may be drastically underestimatedThu, 02 Jul 2026 15:30:42 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/earth-might-be-home-to-20-million-insect-speciesmore-than-three-times-as-many-as-previously-thought-a-study-suggests-180989062/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/alexander-hamiltons-first-national-bank-revolutionized-the-us-economy-after-sitting-shuttered-for-years-the-philadelphia-landmark-reopened-as-a-museum-180989056/A controversial idea right after the American Revolution, the First Bank of the United States proved prescient. Visitors can now check out its historic home after a $43 million makeoverWed, 01 Jul 2026 21:30:37 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/alexander-hamiltons-first-national-bank-revolutionized-the-us-economy-after-sitting-shuttered-for-years-the-philadelphia-landmark-reopened-as-a-museum-180989056/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-greatest-cosmic-movie-ever-made-the-worlds-largest-digital-camera-begins-a-historic-decade-long-survey-of-the-night-sky-180989059/After a year of testing, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile has started capturing data as part of the much-anticipated Legacy Survey of Space and TimeWed, 01 Jul 2026 21:21:11 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-greatest-cosmic-movie-ever-made-the-worlds-largest-digital-camera-begins-a-historic-decade-long-survey-of-the-night-sky-180989059/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/vintage-read-posters-adorning-libraries-and-classrooms-for-decades-go-on-auction-as-the-american-library-association-turns-150-180989057/Taylor Swift, Serena Williams and famous fictional characters lent their iconic faces to encourage people to pick up a bookWed, 01 Jul 2026 19:30:37 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/vintage-read-posters-adorning-libraries-and-classrooms-for-decades-go-on-auction-as-the-american-library-association-turns-150-180989057/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-decades-of-debate-scientists-say-these-fossils-belong-to-the-largest-known-scorpion-which-lived-415-million-years-ago-180989022/Researchers have wondered whether Praearcturus gigas was a giant crustacean called an isopod or some other creature. A new analysis of museum specimens suggests that it was a scorpion that stretched more than three feet longWed, 01 Jul 2026 18:55:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-decades-of-debate-scientists-say-these-fossils-belong-to-the-largest-known-scorpion-which-lived-415-million-years-ago-180989022/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/as-france-prepares-to-light-up-the-statue-of-liberty-for-americas-250th-peek-into-the-history-of-the-symbol-of-translatlantic-friendship-180989047/Here’s how three French idealists—an abolitionist, a sculptor and the engineer behind the Eiffel Tower—brought the representation of freedom to lifeWed, 01 Jul 2026 15:11:09 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/as-france-prepares-to-light-up-the-statue-of-liberty-for-americas-250th-peek-into-the-history-of-the-symbol-of-translatlantic-friendship-180989047/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-ancient-monolith-archaeologists-unearthed-in-mexico-may-depict-people-receiving-divine-liquid-in-a-ritual-180989049/The stela was found with a large, decorated platform and remnants of offerings in the state of VeracruzWed, 01 Jul 2026 14:33:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-ancient-monolith-archaeologists-unearthed-in-mexico-may-depict-people-receiving-divine-liquid-in-a-ritual-180989049/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-male-fruit-flies-have-sperm-that-are-nearly-as-long-as-their-bodies-heres-how-the-cells-dont-become-a-tangled-mess-180989054/Males of the species Drosophila melanogaster pack thousands of almost two-millimeter-long sperm cells into significantly smaller storage organs. A new study reveals how they move in an orderly mannerWed, 01 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-male-fruit-flies-have-sperm-that-are-nearly-as-long-as-their-bodies-heres-how-the-cells-dont-become-a-tangled-mess-180989054/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-these-ancient-etruscan-frescoes-that-italy-bought-for-millions-and-put-on-public-display-in-rome-180989046/Found in a burial chamber, the artworks depict battles between ancient heroes in the Mediterranean worldTue, 30 Jun 2026 20:52:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-these-ancient-etruscan-frescoes-that-italy-bought-for-millions-and-put-on-public-display-in-rome-180989046/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-17-stunning-photos-of-the-strawberry-moon-show-earths-natural-satellite-in-all-its-glory-180989050/The first full moon of the summer delivered dazzling visuals from across the globe. Its low position in the sky from the perspective of the Northern Hemisphere gave it a golden hueTue, 30 Jun 2026 20:10:45 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-17-stunning-photos-of-the-strawberry-moon-show-earths-natural-satellite-in-all-its-glory-180989050/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rembrandt-began-a-biblical-painting-another-artist-finished-it-rather-crudely-now-restorations-have-revealed-the-long-lost-original-180989045/An art dealer stumbled across "Let the Little Children Come Unto Me" at a German auction house in 2014. Experts have now carefully removed layers of overpaint from the forgotten masterpieceTue, 30 Jun 2026 19:10:41 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rembrandt-began-a-biblical-painting-another-artist-finished-it-rather-crudely-now-restorations-have-revealed-the-long-lost-original-180989045/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/sold-for-just-5588-this-amber-pendant-turned-out-to-be-a-rare-tudor-era-portrait-of-elizabeth-i-now-its-going-on-auction-for-100000-180989048/A master craftsman carved the likeness around 1600, possibly as a commission from the English monarch herself. A parrot on the back of the heart-shaped object symbolizes Elizabeth's status as a "virgin queen"Tue, 30 Jun 2026 17:19:18 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/sold-for-just-5588-this-amber-pendant-turned-out-to-be-a-rare-tudor-era-portrait-of-elizabeth-i-now-its-going-on-auction-for-100000-180989048/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/as-the-ocean-warms-a-cold-blob-in-the-atlantic-has-puzzled-scientists-it-might-be-a-warning-sign-about-a-key-current-system-180988991/A patch of water south of Greenland and Iceland has cooled by nearly 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit since 1900. A new study suggests that it shows a crucial system of ocean currents is weakening, which could alter Earth's climateTue, 30 Jun 2026 16:17:17 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/as-the-ocean-warms-a-cold-blob-in-the-atlantic-has-puzzled-scientists-it-might-be-a-warning-sign-about-a-key-current-system-180988991/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-did-neanderthals-go-extinct-inbreeding-probably-wasnt-to-blame-for-their-demise-in-northwestern-europe-a-study-suggests-180989032/In contrast to those who resided in Siberia, Neanderthals who lived in what's now Belgium and France shortly before the species vanished seem to have been genetically diverse and healthyTue, 30 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-did-neanderthals-go-extinct-inbreeding-probably-wasnt-to-blame-for-their-demise-in-northwestern-europe-a-study-suggests-180989032/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mars-rover-spots-complex-carbon-on-the-red-planet-marking-yet-another-detection-of-a-building-block-of-life-180989043/Along with other recent discoveries, the new finding from Perseverance boosts the case that Mars once hosted conditions that could support living things—but it isn’t a definitive sign of ancient organismsTue, 30 Jun 2026 13:38:51 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mars-rover-spots-complex-carbon-on-the-red-planet-marking-yet-another-detection-of-a-building-block-of-life-180989043/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-vaticans-hall-of-raphael-frescoes-in-the-popes-residence-is-getting-a-much-needed-restoration-with-the-help-of-lasers-180989041/Conservators will spend the next five years cleaning and retouching the Renaissance frescoes, which date back to the early 16th centuryTue, 30 Jun 2026 13:31:51 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-vaticans-hall-of-raphael-frescoes-in-the-popes-residence-is-getting-a-much-needed-restoration-with-the-help-of-lasers-180989041/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-the-founders-declared-independence-printers-quickly-translated-the-text-for-german-speaking-americans-180989039/The document, printed in a gothic typeface, was translated in Philadelphia. One of two surviving copies is going on display in Berlin ahead of America's 250th birthdayMon, 29 Jun 2026 22:19:22 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-the-founders-declared-independence-printers-quickly-translated-the-text-for-german-speaking-americans-180989039/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-fossil-from-antarctica-sat-in-a-drawer-for-40-years-it-turned-out-to-be-the-first-dinosaur-bone-ever-found-on-the-continent-180989042/After being forgotten for decades, the mysterious tail vertebra has finally been identified as part of a titanosaur. The discovery helps researchers understand how dinosaurs may have traversed Earth's southernmost regionsMon, 29 Jun 2026 20:40:09 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-fossil-from-antarctica-sat-in-a-drawer-for-40-years-it-turned-out-to-be-the-first-dinosaur-bone-ever-found-on-the-continent-180989042/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/genghis-khan-is-remembered-for-his-vast-empire-and-fearsome-warriors-this-exhibition-explores-his-cultural-legacy-180989040/The Royal Armouries Museum will show nearly 250 rare artifacts—from saddles to early paper money—that reveal a side of the Mongol Empire that's often neglectedMon, 29 Jun 2026 20:19:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/genghis-khan-is-remembered-for-his-vast-empire-and-fearsome-warriors-this-exhibition-explores-his-cultural-legacy-180989040/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/humans-and-great-apes-giggle-with-a-similar-rhythm-and-timing-suggesting-we-have-shared-our-style-of-laughter-for-15-million-years-180989031/Understanding how laughter evolved can reveal the secrets of human speechMon, 29 Jun 2026 18:30:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/humans-and-great-apes-giggle-with-a-similar-rhythm-and-timing-suggesting-we-have-shared-our-style-of-laughter-for-15-million-years-180989031/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-double-down-on-age-of-earths-oldest-meteorite-impact-crater-dating-it-again-at-more-than-three-billion-years-old-180989023/Last year, geologists dated the crater in Western Australia at 3.47 billion years old, which was disputed by other experts. Now, they've revised the estimate to 3.02 billion years old—but some still aren't convincedMon, 29 Jun 2026 17:16:50 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-double-down-on-age-of-earths-oldest-meteorite-impact-crater-dating-it-again-at-more-than-three-billion-years-old-180989023/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-scientific-first-researchers-recovered-ancient-dna-that-humans-left-behind-on-rock-art-and-cave-walls-180989038/DNA preservation on cave walls is highly variable, but scientists say their work is an important step on the path toward gaining a deeper understanding of our creative ancestorsMon, 29 Jun 2026 14:27:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-scientific-first-researchers-recovered-ancient-dna-that-humans-left-behind-on-rock-art-and-cave-walls-180989038/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/deep-in-the-mexican-jungle-archaeologists-discovered-a-lost-maya-city-that-may-yield-clues-about-the-civilization-just-before-it-collapsed-180989030/Researchers hacked through more than three miles of vegetation to get to the site, which lies out of bounds of familiar logging tracks. There, they found unique carved stelae and altarsFri, 26 Jun 2026 21:44:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/deep-in-the-mexican-jungle-archaeologists-discovered-a-lost-maya-city-that-may-yield-clues-about-the-civilization-just-before-it-collapsed-180989030/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-most-detailed-photo-of-the-milky-ways-heart-ever-taken-in-visible-light-which-will-help-astronomers-hunt-for-exoplanets-180989027/The European Space Agency’s Euclid telescope was built to study dark matter and dark energy, but for one day last year, it captured the densely packed stars brightening the center of our galaxyFri, 26 Jun 2026 21:09:42 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-most-detailed-photo-of-the-milky-ways-heart-ever-taken-in-visible-light-which-will-help-astronomers-hunt-for-exoplanets-180989027/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/years-in-the-making-national-geographics-museum-of-exploration-is-here-to-take-you-on-an-adventure-180989034/The renovated space highlights the hallmarks of the iconic 138-year-old brand, from wildlife photography to the study of anthropologyFri, 26 Jun 2026 20:03:24 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/years-in-the-making-national-geographics-museum-of-exploration-is-here-to-take-you-on-an-adventure-180989034/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-have-deciphered-the-surviving-fragments-of-a-2000-year-old-philosophical-treatise-frozen-in-time-by-mount-vesuvius-eruption-180989036/The papyrus manuscript was part of a vast library preserved by volcanic ash. Now, the remaining passages—which examine ethics, knowledge and human nature—are accessible for the first time since 79 C.E.Fri, 26 Jun 2026 19:51:06 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-have-deciphered-the-surviving-fragments-of-a-2000-year-old-philosophical-treatise-frozen-in-time-by-mount-vesuvius-eruption-180989036/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/too-hot-for-art-some-paris-museums-and-landmarks-close-or-reduce-hours-amid-a-record-heat-wave-in-europe-180989029/Meanwhile, other institutions offer their air-conditioned spaces as a way for residents and tourists to beat the heatFri, 26 Jun 2026 19:46:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/too-hot-for-art-some-paris-museums-and-landmarks-close-or-reduce-hours-amid-a-record-heat-wave-in-europe-180989029/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/norman-rockwell-captured-the-hustle-of-the-west-wing-in-colorful-drawings-displayed-for-decades-in-the-white-house-theyre-now-on-public-view-for-the-first-time-180989025/The works were commissioned to humanize President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the height of World War IIFri, 26 Jun 2026 18:40:32 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/norman-rockwell-captured-the-hustle-of-the-west-wing-in-colorful-drawings-displayed-for-decades-in-the-white-house-theyre-now-on-public-view-for-the-first-time-180989025/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/early-humans-may-have-used-fire-1-8-million-years-ago-nearly-doubling-the-age-of-the-oldest-known-evidence-for-the-feat-180989015/In Wonderwerk Cave in South Africa, burned bones were found in a dirt layer associated with Homo erectus. The inhabitants probably hadn't mastered fire-making, but researchers say they may have moved and maintained flames from a natural fireFri, 26 Jun 2026 16:59:18 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/early-humans-may-have-used-fire-1-8-million-years-ago-nearly-doubling-the-age-of-the-oldest-known-evidence-for-the-feat-180989015/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-these-prehistoric-primates-really-bury-just-their-female-dead-deep-in-a-cave-180989020/Researchers say that the fossilized bones of "Homo naledi," so far found exclusively underground in South Africa, lack a key genetic male markerThu, 25 Jun 2026 21:18:12 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-these-prehistoric-primates-really-bury-just-their-female-dead-deep-in-a-cave-180989020/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/powerful-back-to-back-earthquakes-killed-at-least-188-people-in-venezuela-heres-the-science-behind-the-rare-doublet-180989018/On June 24, two quakes above magnitude 7 struck the northern part of the country only 39 seconds apart. While doublet sequences aren't unheard of in seismology, they are uncommon—especially in such short successionThu, 25 Jun 2026 19:10:16 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/powerful-back-to-back-earthquakes-killed-at-least-188-people-in-venezuela-heres-the-science-behind-the-rare-doublet-180989018/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/keep-your-eyes-peeled-for-gracie-a-reticulated-giraffe-on-the-loose-in-texas-180989021/The tall creature escaped from a private ranch this month, and she's been roaming the Texas Hill Country ever sinceThu, 25 Jun 2026 17:57:26 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/keep-your-eyes-peeled-for-gracie-a-reticulated-giraffe-on-the-loose-in-texas-180989021/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-lost-memoir-of-a-hiroshima-survivor-was-rediscovered-now-it-will-be-published-as-a-book-and-adapted-for-film-180989019/Nearly 80 years ago, Kiyoshi Tanimoto documented the aftermath of the Hiroshima bombing during World War II. His manuscript was recently found in a U.S. libraryThu, 25 Jun 2026 17:24:06 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-lost-memoir-of-a-hiroshima-survivor-was-rediscovered-now-it-will-be-published-as-a-book-and-adapted-for-film-180989019/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-did-the-handwriting-in-this-248-year-old-notebook-look-familiar-it-turned-out-to-be-a-forgotten-mozart-manuscript-180989017/While working as a tutor in 1778, the composer created seven short pieces for flute and harp with his student's help. This month, audiences heard the works performed for the very first timeThu, 25 Jun 2026 17:17:25 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-did-the-handwriting-in-this-248-year-old-notebook-look-familiar-it-turned-out-to-be-a-forgotten-mozart-manuscript-180989017/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-strange-featured-dinosaur-may-have-glided-between-trees-like-a-flying-squirrel-to-hunt-birds-120-million-years-ago-180989011/A fossil of the creature provides the first evidence that microraptors lived in what is now northwestern China. Its discovery might also solve an ancient murder mysteryThu, 25 Jun 2026 16:04:52 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-strange-featured-dinosaur-may-have-glided-between-trees-like-a-flying-squirrel-to-hunt-birds-120-million-years-ago-180989011/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/gray-whales-are-getting-struck-by-ships-in-san-francisco-bay-could-this-new-ai-powered-tech-save-them-180989009/The recently launched system involves two thermal cameras that can detect gray whales up to four miles away, giving ships enough time to slow down or change course—and avoid running into the marine mammalsThu, 25 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/gray-whales-are-getting-struck-by-ships-in-san-francisco-bay-could-this-new-ai-powered-tech-save-them-180989009/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/large-textile-production-site-discovered-in-denmark-challenges-the-stereotype-of-vikings-as-uncivilized-barbarians-180989014/The massive settlement, which spans more than a million square feet, likely dates to the late Iron Age or early Viking Age between 600 and 950 C.E.Wed, 24 Jun 2026 21:31:17 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/large-textile-production-site-discovered-in-denmark-challenges-the-stereotype-of-vikings-as-uncivilized-barbarians-180989014/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-stolen-picasso-just-turned-up-during-a-drug-raid-near-paris-reportedly-taken-from-a-storage-facility-180989010/The painting has been authenticated but not revealed. Reports suggest it is one of Picasso's portraits of Marie-Thérèse WalterWed, 24 Jun 2026 20:37:59 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-stolen-picasso-just-turned-up-during-a-drug-raid-near-paris-reportedly-taken-from-a-storage-facility-180989010/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/interstellar-comet-3i-atlas-might-be-the-oldest-object-ever-seen-in-our-solar-system-a-study-suggests-180989007/Based on the composition of gases spewed by the icy space rock, researchers estimate that our guest might be up to 12 billion years old—about three times the age of the solar systemWed, 24 Jun 2026 19:55:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/interstellar-comet-3i-atlas-might-be-the-oldest-object-ever-seen-in-our-solar-system-a-study-suggests-180989007/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-odyssey-one-of-the-worlds-oldest-stories-gets-a-modern-spin-with-ai-generated-audiobook-narration-by-the-voice-clone-of-an-oscar-winner-actor-michael-caine-180989006/Meanwhile, other actors are pushing back against the use of artificial intelligence in creative projects, including through a new “human consent” registry toolWed, 24 Jun 2026 18:56:21 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-odyssey-one-of-the-worlds-oldest-stories-gets-a-modern-spin-with-ai-generated-audiobook-narration-by-the-voice-clone-of-an-oscar-winner-actor-michael-caine-180989006/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-worlds-first-nuclear-clocks-are-ticking-opening-a-new-way-to-investigate-dark-matter-and-other-mysteries-of-physics-180989002/Two independent teams of scientists have created the first functional clocks that can keep ultraprecise time using the nuclei of a radioactive elementWed, 24 Jun 2026 16:37:19 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-worlds-first-nuclear-clocks-are-ticking-opening-a-new-way-to-investigate-dark-matter-and-other-mysteries-of-physics-180989002/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-newly-discovered-spider-builds-a-unique-web-that-sends-ants-catapulting-through-the-air-180989003/Flung prey can reach speeds of up to 14.4 feet per second, or a little less than ten miles per hour. An insect will land in the spider's main web about a foot above the spring-loaded trapWed, 24 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-newly-discovered-spider-builds-a-unique-web-that-sends-ants-catapulting-through-the-air-180989003/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/revealing-its-original-shape-not-seen-in-centuries-greece-restored-part-of-the-parthenons-western-facade-180988996/The project in Athens started in 2017 and involved quarrying, transporting, hand-carving and placing new marble blocks in one of the landmark’s triangular pedimentsWed, 24 Jun 2026 13:12:11 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/revealing-its-original-shape-not-seen-in-centuries-greece-restored-part-of-the-parthenons-western-facade-180988996/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-first-edition-of-emily-brontes-wuthering-heights-contained-incorrect-page-numbers-missing-punctuation-and-three-misspellings-of-the-word-heights-180989005/The haunting story set against the Yorkshire moors would become one of the most renowned novels of the 19th century. Now, a rare first-edition copy is heading to auctionWed, 24 Jun 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-first-edition-of-emily-brontes-wuthering-heights-contained-incorrect-page-numbers-missing-punctuation-and-three-misspellings-of-the-word-heights-180989005/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-letter-signed-by-george-washington-that-helped-pave-the-way-for-american-independence-is-going-on-display-in-london-180989004/Washington dictated and signed the letter in October 1781 to formally accept the British surrender at Yorktown, writing of his “ardent desire to spare the further effusion of blood”Tue, 23 Jun 2026 21:27:05 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-letter-signed-by-george-washington-that-helped-pave-the-way-for-american-independence-is-going-on-display-in-london-180989004/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-magical-curse-written-in-greek-on-a-small-lead-tablet-was-meant-to-punish-enemies-nearly-2000-years-ago-180989001/The lead curse tablet was discovered in a city square in the Netherlands and recently deciphered by researchers in GermanyTue, 23 Jun 2026 20:21:45 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-magical-curse-written-in-greek-on-a-small-lead-tablet-was-meant-to-punish-enemies-nearly-2000-years-ago-180989001/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-giant-7-story-picnic-basket-once-home-to-icon-american-brand-longaberger-basket-could-be-yours-for-85-million-180988999/The former Longaberger basket company headquarters in Ohio is for sale to a buyer who is willing to preserve its quirky designTue, 23 Jun 2026 19:20:37 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-giant-7-story-picnic-basket-once-home-to-icon-american-brand-longaberger-basket-could-be-yours-for-85-million-180988999/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-butterflies-can-live-25-times-longer-than-their-relatives-they-might-provide-insights-into-healthy-aging-in-humans-180988993/Their unusual diet of pollen—rather than nectar—might partially explain why members of the Heliconius genus live so long, up to nearly a yearTue, 23 Jun 2026 15:47:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-butterflies-can-live-25-times-longer-than-their-relatives-they-might-provide-insights-into-healthy-aging-in-humans-180988993/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/female-dolphins-seem-to-remember-which-males-were-aggressive-during-mating-season-and-may-try-to-avoid-them-180988994/When researchers played underwater recordings of pushy males, females that were capable of becoming pregnant swam away from the soundsTue, 23 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/female-dolphins-seem-to-remember-which-males-were-aggressive-during-mating-season-and-may-try-to-avoid-them-180988994/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-may-have-discovered-the-origins-of-the-euphrates-river-which-helped-nurture-some-of-the-earliest-known-civilizations-180988966/The famous waterway began as two rivers, a new study suggests. Tectonic activity around five million years ago probably made them change course and merge, helping to birth the Fertile CrescentMon, 22 Jun 2026 20:51:25 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-may-have-discovered-the-origins-of-the-euphrates-river-which-helped-nurture-some-of-the-earliest-known-civilizations-180988966/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fish-and-humans-share-surprisingly-similar-sleep-habits-including-daytime-naps-180988985/A recent study suggests that zebrafish have four sleep substates, just like humans do—and one of them is akin to an afternoon snoozeMon, 22 Jun 2026 20:35:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fish-and-humans-share-surprisingly-similar-sleep-habits-including-daytime-naps-180988985/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-flock-to-nithe-station-this-infamous-wwii-death-railway-station-built-by-allied-prisoners-of-war-that-was-just-revealed-in-thailand-180988992/The Nithe Station, usually submerged under a reservoir, will be accessible this summer as officials drain the site to perform dam maintenanceMon, 22 Jun 2026 19:14:28 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-flock-to-nithe-station-this-infamous-wwii-death-railway-station-built-by-allied-prisoners-of-war-that-was-just-revealed-in-thailand-180988992/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-identify-swaths-of-coral-reefs-that-might-be-able-to-withstand-climate-change-offering-new-avenues-for-conservation-180988976/New research has mapped more than 64,000 square miles where the crucial habitat seems to be somewhat protected from the impacts of the warming oceanMon, 22 Jun 2026 18:01:22 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-identify-swaths-of-coral-reefs-that-might-be-able-to-withstand-climate-change-offering-new-avenues-for-conservation-180988976/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/authorities-investigated-reports-of-an-illegal-excavation-in-rome-then-they-stumbled-upon-an-ancient-villa-adorned-with-mosaics-180988995/In the second century C.E., Roman emperors such as Marcus Aurelius and Antoninus Pius frequented the area where the residence was foundMon, 22 Jun 2026 17:58:44 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/authorities-investigated-reports-of-an-illegal-excavation-in-rome-then-they-stumbled-upon-an-ancient-villa-adorned-with-mosaics-180988995/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-well-preserved-roman-busts-were-discovered-inside-a-wine-vat-in-israel-near-the-capital-city-of-a-roman-province-180988975/One is inscribed with the name "Lycurgus," suggesting the bust may depict the legendary founder of ancient SpartaMon, 22 Jun 2026 13:51:06 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-well-preserved-roman-busts-were-discovered-inside-a-wine-vat-in-israel-near-the-capital-city-of-a-roman-province-180988975/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-discover-evidence-a-wooden-prototype-for-stonehenge-may-have-aligned-with-the-solstice-500-years-before-the-stone-circle-180988988/The remains of a wooden monument in southern England, three miles away from Stonehenge, may demonstrate Neolithic people's interest in the heavensFri, 19 Jun 2026 16:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-discover-evidence-a-wooden-prototype-for-stonehenge-may-have-aligned-with-the-solstice-500-years-before-the-stone-circle-180988988/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-6-year-old-boy-spotted-something-sticking-out-of-the-ground-in-a-field-it-turned-out-to-be-a-viking-sword-180988989/Henrik Refsnes Mørtvedt was on a school field trip when he found the roughly 1,200-year-old weapon. The single-edged blade will now be preserved at an Oslo museumThu, 18 Jun 2026 21:20:56 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-6-year-old-boy-spotted-something-sticking-out-of-the-ground-in-a-field-it-turned-out-to-be-a-viking-sword-180988989/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-discovery-that-hunter-gatherer-children-died-of-plague-more-than-five-millennia-ago-sets-back-the-date-of-the-earliest-outbreak-180988983/The skeletons of nomadic families unearthed in Siberia harbor "Yersinia pestis" bacteria, which challenges theories about conditions needed for the disease to spreadThu, 18 Jun 2026 20:58:09 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-discovery-that-hunter-gatherer-children-died-of-plague-more-than-five-millennia-ago-sets-back-the-date-of-the-earliest-outbreak-180988983/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/major-oak-the-1200-year-old-tree-with-ties-to-the-robin-hood-legend-is-presumed-dead-after-failing-to-produce-leaves-180988986/The legendary bandit who stole from the rich and gave to the poor is said to have used the massive tree as a hideout while running from the sheriff of NottinghamThu, 18 Jun 2026 20:43:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/major-oak-the-1200-year-old-tree-with-ties-to-the-robin-hood-legend-is-presumed-dead-after-failing-to-produce-leaves-180988986/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-photography-studio-hooks-brothers-captured-the-beauty-of-black-life-in-the-south-soon-its-archive-once-hidden-away-will-have-a-new-museum-home-180988982/The Hooks brothers documented life and joy in Memphis during the 20th century. Their images will be put on public view when the Memphis Art Museum opensThu, 18 Jun 2026 19:15:23 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-photography-studio-hooks-brothers-captured-the-beauty-of-black-life-in-the-south-soon-its-archive-once-hidden-away-will-have-a-new-museum-home-180988982/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/astronomers-discovered-a-cosmic-fossil-in-the-making-the-most-chemically-primitive-galaxy-seen-yet-by-peering-back-to-the-edge-of-time-180988954/The James Webb Space Telescope observed 13-billion-year-old light, using a closer galactic cluster like a magnifying glass. The work helps experts understand the universe’s earliest stars and mysterious ultra-faint dwarf galaxiesThu, 18 Jun 2026 16:41:08 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/astronomers-discovered-a-cosmic-fossil-in-the-making-the-most-chemically-primitive-galaxy-seen-yet-by-peering-back-to-the-edge-of-time-180988954/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/by-signing-his-name-to-massive-jars-this-enslaved-artist-david-drake-defied-literacy-bans-in-the-south-now-his-masterpiece-is-on-view-with-a-famed-paul-revere-bowl-180988964/Born into slavery around 1800, David Drake was a skilled ceramicist. His work will be on display at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston as the institution marks America's 250th birthdayThu, 18 Jun 2026 16:29:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/by-signing-his-name-to-massive-jars-this-enslaved-artist-david-drake-defied-literacy-bans-in-the-south-now-his-masterpiece-is-on-view-with-a-famed-paul-revere-bowl-180988964/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-find-a-mathematical-pattern-used-in-city-planning-hidden-in-the-leaves-of-a-common-houseplant-180988978/The major veins of Chinese money plant leaves form what's called a Voronoi diagram. It might be caused by a plant-growth hormone that emanates in waves from developing leaves' poresThu, 18 Jun 2026 16:02:39 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-find-a-mathematical-pattern-used-in-city-planning-hidden-in-the-leaves-of-a-common-houseplant-180988978/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nearly-all-plants-depend-on-tiny-underground-fungi-the-microbes-vast-global-networks-were-just-mapped-for-the-first-time-180988955/If lined up end to end, the thin, tubular threads that make up the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal networks in Earth’s topsoil could stretch between our planet and the sun almost one billion timesThu, 18 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nearly-all-plants-depend-on-tiny-underground-fungi-the-microbes-vast-global-networks-were-just-mapped-for-the-first-time-180988955/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-june-1775-the-american-patriots-faced-off-with-the-british-at-the-battle-of-bunker-hill-archaeologists-are-uncovering-evidence-of-the-fighting-251-years-later-180988979/Researchers discovered gun parts, musket balls and other artifacts in Boston's Charlestown neighborhoodThu, 18 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-june-1775-the-american-patriots-faced-off-with-the-british-at-the-battle-of-bunker-hill-archaeologists-are-uncovering-evidence-of-the-fighting-251-years-later-180988979/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hidden-tunnels-dating-back-to-henry-viiis-reign-were-discovered-at-english-boarding-school-New-Hall-School-where-the-king-once-lived-180988965/Bones, bottles and pottery were found at the New Hall School, which was once Henry VIII's Palace of Beaulieu. Before that, Anne Boleyn's father owned the estateWed, 17 Jun 2026 20:56:56 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hidden-tunnels-dating-back-to-henry-viiis-reign-were-discovered-at-english-boarding-school-New-Hall-School-where-the-king-once-lived-180988965/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-discover-a-new-species-of-walking-shark-in-papua-new-guinea-they-suspect-its-at-risk-of-going-extinct-180988977/The creature belongs to a unique group of sharks whose members can use their strong pectoral fins like legs to get aroundWed, 17 Jun 2026 20:41:10 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-discover-a-new-species-of-walking-shark-in-papua-new-guinea-they-suspect-its-at-risk-of-going-extinct-180988977/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-unearth-hundreds-of-artifacts-at-fort-ticonderoga-the-site-of-americas-first-offensive-victory-of-the-revolutionary-war-180988971/The objects were discovered on Liberty Hill, the place where many Continental Army soldiers heard the text of the Declaration of Independence for the first timeWed, 17 Jun 2026 18:54:33 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-unearth-hundreds-of-artifacts-at-fort-ticonderoga-the-site-of-americas-first-offensive-victory-of-the-revolutionary-war-180988971/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/indigenous-art-an-eagle-feather-and-a-3d-rendering-of-abraham-lincolns-hand-see-the-items-just-sealed-in-americas-time-capsule-180988973/The capsule was created and filled at the direction of Congress, through the America250 commission. It will be interred beneath an original sculpture on July 4Wed, 17 Jun 2026 17:20:38 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/indigenous-art-an-eagle-feather-and-a-3d-rendering-of-abraham-lincolns-hand-see-the-items-just-sealed-in-americas-time-capsule-180988973/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/male-bowerbirds-in-australian-cities-are-turning-human-trash-into-treasure-to-impress-potential-mates-180988969/Even rural birds prefer human-made objects, such as colored glass and wire, when given the choice between them and natural decorations, like leaves and shells, according to a new studyWed, 17 Jun 2026 15:35:56 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/male-bowerbirds-in-australian-cities-are-turning-human-trash-into-treasure-to-impress-potential-mates-180988969/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-practice-changing-gene-test-could-tell-doctors-which-patients-with-breast-cancer-can-skip-chemo-clinical-trial-suggests-180988957/Chemotherapy comes with debilitating side effects, including brain fog, nausea and nerve damage. New research suggests that many people with a common type of breast cancer need just radiation and hormone therapy to prevent recurrenceWed, 17 Jun 2026 14:01:52 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-practice-changing-gene-test-could-tell-doctors-which-patients-with-breast-cancer-can-skip-chemo-clinical-trial-suggests-180988957/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-uncover-new-clues-about-the-volcanic-origins-of-the-giants-causeway-an-iconic-geologic-structure-in-northern-ireland-180988967/The UNESCO World Heritage Site, which features 40,000 near-perfect hexagonal columns, formed roughly 60 million years ago during a period of intense volcanic activityTue, 16 Jun 2026 21:32:25 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-uncover-new-clues-about-the-volcanic-origins-of-the-giants-causeway-an-iconic-geologic-structure-in-northern-ireland-180988967/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-a-stunning-view-of-the-southern-lights-dancing-across-the-earth-captured-by-a-nasa-astronaut-180988960/Jessica Meir, commander of NASA's SpaceX Crew-12 mission, shared photos and videos of a green aurora she shot while sheltering in a capsule outside the International Space StationTue, 16 Jun 2026 16:04:53 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-a-stunning-view-of-the-southern-lights-dancing-across-the-earth-captured-by-a-nasa-astronaut-180988960/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-first-ever-photographs-of-cozumels-elusive-dwarf-fox-one-of-the-rarest-canids-in-the-world-180988961/No one had seen the creatures in more than two decades, leading scientists to wonder whether they'd gone extinct. That changed in September 2023Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-first-ever-photographs-of-cozumels-elusive-dwarf-fox-one-of-the-rarest-canids-in-the-world-180988961/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/you-can-now-see-betsy-ross-sewing-table-in-philadelphia-thanks-to-a-flag-day-donation-from-her-great-great-great-great-grandson-180988963/The origins of the Stars and Stripes are murky, but generations of Americans have admired stories about Ross creating the first American flagTue, 16 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/you-can-now-see-betsy-ross-sewing-table-in-philadelphia-thanks-to-a-flag-day-donation-from-her-great-great-great-great-grandson-180988963/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-museum-of-american-music-headlined-by-bruce-springsteen-opens-in-new-jersey-with-instruments-lyrics-and-clothes-from-rock-stars-and-pop-legends-180988958/The Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music at Monmouth University, which houses the archives of its namesake Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, welcomed its first visitorsMon, 15 Jun 2026 21:13:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-museum-of-american-music-headlined-by-bruce-springsteen-opens-in-new-jersey-with-instruments-lyrics-and-clothes-from-rock-stars-and-pop-legends-180988958/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/venus-flytraps-snap-their-traps-shut-in-less-than-a-second-scientists-say-theyve-discovered-how-the-predatory-plants-are-so-fast-180988949/The walls of cells in the leaves' outer layer suddenly soften, allowing the structures to hinge into a closed position, according to a new studyMon, 15 Jun 2026 20:06:21 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/venus-flytraps-snap-their-traps-shut-in-less-than-a-second-scientists-say-theyve-discovered-how-the-predatory-plants-are-so-fast-180988949/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/with-a-beam-of-light-the-new-york-city-aids-memorial-honors-the-nearly-forgotten-legacy-of-this-great-american-sculptor-180988956/A new sculpture draws on materials and ideas from Scott Burton's artwork, which offered comfort in urban spaces. His final public series was a set of benches and lights on piers in BrooklynMon, 15 Jun 2026 19:57:08 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/with-a-beam-of-light-the-new-york-city-aids-memorial-honors-the-nearly-forgotten-legacy-of-this-great-american-sculptor-180988956/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-super-el-nino-has-arrived-heres-how-it-might-affect-the-worlds-weather-and-economy-180988951/The naturally occurring climate pattern, characterized by warm surface water in the Pacific Ocean, that has just started could be one of the strongest ever recorded, according to expertsMon, 15 Jun 2026 17:36:32 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-super-el-nino-has-arrived-heres-how-it-might-affect-the-worlds-weather-and-economy-180988951/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ugliest-shark-on-the-planet-see-the-elusive-goblin-shark-filmed-for-the-first-time-in-its-deep-sea-habitat-180988950/Scientists spotted the enigmatic creatures in 2019 and again in 2024, marking the first times they've been observed alive in the wild. The sightings drastically expand the animals' known geographic and depth rangeMon, 15 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ugliest-shark-on-the-planet-see-the-elusive-goblin-shark-filmed-for-the-first-time-in-its-deep-sea-habitat-180988950/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/stary-up-late-and-admire-the-cosmos-with-this-new-stargazing-trail-that-links-certified-dark-sky-destinations-180988953/The initiative debuts as Colorado gears up to celebrate the 150th anniversary of its statehoodFri, 12 Jun 2026 21:29:54 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/stary-up-late-and-admire-the-cosmos-with-this-new-stargazing-trail-that-links-certified-dark-sky-destinations-180988953/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-claude-monet-planted-water-lilies-inspiration-struck-an-upcoming-auction-will-test-how-much-collectors-prize-the-floral-masterpieces-180988947/The marquee painting from Monet’s "Nymphéas" series is expected to fetch more than $40 million at auction later this monthFri, 12 Jun 2026 20:48:19 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-claude-monet-planted-water-lilies-inspiration-struck-an-upcoming-auction-will-test-how-much-collectors-prize-the-floral-masterpieces-180988947/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/construction-in-germany-revealed-the-princely-grave-of-a-celtic-warrior-who-was-buried-with-weapons-and-a-two-wheeled-wagon-180988952/Archaeologists say the find proves "the previously only assumed presence of a local Celtic elite." Grave goods also included gold jewelry and a jug imported from modern-day TuscanyFri, 12 Jun 2026 20:21:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/construction-in-germany-revealed-the-princely-grave-of-a-celtic-warrior-who-was-buried-with-weapons-and-a-two-wheeled-wagon-180988952/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/working-from-home-is-making-people-lonelier-and-worsening-mental-health-a-study-suggests-180988938/The findings do not mean that in-office mandates are a fix, experts say. Instead, workplaces should have flexible policies that allow employees to choose where they’d like to workFri, 12 Jun 2026 19:40:36 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/working-from-home-is-making-people-lonelier-and-worsening-mental-health-a-study-suggests-180988938/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/is-your-dog-right-pawed-or-left-pawed-heres-how-to-figure-it-out-according-to-a-new-study-180988941/Researchers devised a series of tests to measure your furry friend's laterality, which can be associated with behavior, emotion and cognitionFri, 12 Jun 2026 19:23:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/is-your-dog-right-pawed-or-left-pawed-heres-how-to-figure-it-out-according-to-a-new-study-180988941/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/with-help-from-ai-a-family-realized-their-mysterious-thrift-store-find-is-a-portrait-by-a-great-scottish-painter-180988948/The oil painting, the work of "Scottish Colorist" FCB Cadell, just sold at auction for more than $250,000Fri, 12 Jun 2026 17:54:14 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/with-help-from-ai-a-family-realized-their-mysterious-thrift-store-find-is-a-portrait-by-a-great-scottish-painter-180988948/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-accidentally-discover-that-humans-prefer-to-turn-counterclockwise-180988939/The effect transcends factors like culture, gender and handedness, causing the scientists, who were initially studying social distancing behavior, to scratch their headsFri, 12 Jun 2026 16:30:46 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-accidentally-discover-that-humans-prefer-to-turn-counterclockwise-180988939/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-discover-the-worlds-largest-deepest-whale-graveyard-where-cetacean-remains-have-been-piling-up-for-five-million-years-180988942/The massive necropolis, located deep in the southeastern Indian Ocean, is teeming with marine life supported by the whale carcasses, including many suspected new speciesFri, 12 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-discover-the-worlds-largest-deepest-whale-graveyard-where-cetacean-remains-have-been-piling-up-for-five-million-years-180988942/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-stunning-photos-of-new-national-park-land-that-soon-will-be-accessible-from-americas-longest-national-trail-180988943/The 213 acres of land in far northern Wisconsin, along the southern shore of Lake Superior, include a waterfallThu, 11 Jun 2026 21:04:04 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-stunning-photos-of-new-national-park-land-that-soon-will-be-accessible-from-americas-longest-national-trail-180988943/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mule-deer-are-already-using-californias-first-wildlife-crossing-and-its-not-even-finished-yet-180988933/Construction on the $20 million bridge in Siskiyou County began last year and is expected to be complete by this fall, with miles of eight-foot-high fencing along the highway to help funnel animals toward itThu, 11 Jun 2026 20:40:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mule-deer-are-already-using-californias-first-wildlife-crossing-and-its-not-even-finished-yet-180988933/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-visions-of-the-past-and-future-in-this-new-york-city-exhibition-on-the-renaissance-roots-of-tarot-cards-180988940/The Morgan Library & Museum traces the history of beautifully illustrated tarot cards from their origins as a card game to modern occult fascinationThu, 11 Jun 2026 18:52:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-visions-of-the-past-and-future-in-this-new-york-city-exhibition-on-the-renaissance-roots-of-tarot-cards-180988940/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-invented-a-disease-to-test-whether-ai-knew-it-was-fake-then-chatbots-started-saying-it-was-real-180988924/The eye condition bixonimania doesn't exist, but neither bots nor some researchers caught that the content was fabricated—despite obvious cluesThu, 11 Jun 2026 17:59:36 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-invented-a-disease-to-test-whether-ai-knew-it-was-fake-then-chatbots-started-saying-it-was-real-180988924/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/four-reasons-why-you-should-know-gordon-s-wood-esteemed-scholar-of-the-american-revolution-who-died-this-week-at-age-92-180988937/The Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, who wrote of the "radicalism" of the country’s founding, was killed in a car collision in a parking lotThu, 11 Jun 2026 17:24:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/four-reasons-why-you-should-know-gordon-s-wood-esteemed-scholar-of-the-american-revolution-who-died-this-week-at-age-92-180988937/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-unearth-an-marble-aphrodite-a-pharoahs-cartouche-and-a-roman-basilica-all-in-one-ancient-egyptian-city-180988930/The collection of artifacts represents the layered history of Ehnasiya, an ancient Egyptian capital that became the Roman city of Heracleópolis MagnaThu, 11 Jun 2026 14:40:10 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-unearth-an-marble-aphrodite-a-pharoahs-cartouche-and-a-roman-basilica-all-in-one-ancient-egyptian-city-180988930/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-rare-meteorite-found-in-the-sahara-desert-offers-evidence-of-a-lost-protoplanet-180988932/Chemical signatures indicate the meteorite came from an early planet that met an untimely end during the formation of our solar systemThu, 11 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-rare-meteorite-found-in-the-sahara-desert-offers-evidence-of-a-lost-protoplanet-180988932/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-womans-brains-were-scooped-out-and-her-bones-were-broken-and-whittled-in-scotland-2000-years-ago-180988935/Researchers say the modifications may represent a previously unknown funerary ritual in Iron Age BritainWed, 10 Jun 2026 21:23:55 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-womans-brains-were-scooped-out-and-her-bones-were-broken-and-whittled-in-scotland-2000-years-ago-180988935/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-human-body-morph-into-musical-instruments-from-around-the-world-at-a-new-exhibition-at-the-metropolitan-museum-of-art-180988931/A belly turns into a drum, hands mold into percussion tools and a face adorns a brass bell in this anatomical art history showWed, 10 Jun 2026 19:41:08 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-human-body-morph-into-musical-instruments-from-around-the-world-at-a-new-exhibition-at-the-metropolitan-museum-of-art-180988931/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-investigated-ancient-squirrel-poop-frozen-in-permafrost-and-found-enlightening-details-about-the-animals-ecosystem-180988934/Up to 700,000 years ago, ground squirrels in modern-day Canada collected tons of helpful genetic information on their bygone environment through their dietWed, 10 Jun 2026 18:47:05 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-investigated-ancient-squirrel-poop-frozen-in-permafrost-and-found-enlightening-details-about-the-animals-ecosystem-180988934/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/workers-dredging-the-savannah-river-stumbled-upon-19-cannons-that-had-been-underwater-since-the-revolutionary-war-180988928/The centuries-old artifacts emerged from the riverbed between 2021 and 2022. Experts spent several years carefully restoring 17 of them, which will make their public debut in a new exhibitionWed, 10 Jun 2026 18:13:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/workers-dredging-the-savannah-river-stumbled-upon-19-cannons-that-had-been-underwater-since-the-revolutionary-war-180988928/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/you-can-soon-build-the-sagrada-familia-out-of-12060-legos-heres-why-the-famed-basilica-is-an-architectural-marvel-180988927/Pioneering architect Antoni Gaudí’s plans for the basilica were ambitious and complex, drawing on creative geometric forms and ancient inspiration, which is one reason it remains unfinished after 144 yearsWed, 10 Jun 2026 17:44:23 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/you-can-soon-build-the-sagrada-familia-out-of-12060-legos-heres-why-the-famed-basilica-is-an-architectural-marvel-180988927/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/bumblebees-can-solve-problems-on-the-fly-adding-to-the-insects-list-of-impressive-cognitive-abilities-180988925/In a series of experiments, the fuzzy pollinators figured out how to use a ball as a tool to access a sugary treat. The study further highlights that the critters are quite clever despite their tiny brainsWed, 10 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/bumblebees-can-solve-problems-on-the-fly-adding-to-the-insects-list-of-impressive-cognitive-abilities-180988925/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/500-years-ago-da-vincis-notebook-was-cut-up-and-separated-now-the-inventors-manuscripts-and-drawings-are-reconstructed-in-an-online-archive-180988922/A new tool developed by Museo Galileo researchers has restored 50 pages from fragments excised centuries agoWed, 10 Jun 2026 02:35:11 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/500-years-ago-da-vincis-notebook-was-cut-up-and-separated-now-the-inventors-manuscripts-and-drawings-are-reconstructed-in-an-online-archive-180988922/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasa-announces-the-crew-of-artemis-3-four-astronauts-who-will-take-calculated-risks-in-low-earth-orbit-and-pave-the-way-for-a-future-moon-landing-180988920/The mission, expected to launch next year, will practice meeting and docking with lunar landers developed by SpaceX and Blue OriginTue, 09 Jun 2026 20:53:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasa-announces-the-crew-of-artemis-3-four-astronauts-who-will-take-calculated-risks-in-low-earth-orbit-and-pave-the-way-for-a-future-moon-landing-180988920/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-rare-intricate-brooch-represents-the-roman-empires-long-disjointed-attempt-to-conquer-scotland-180988923/The "miniature masterpiece" will go on display during an upcoming exhibition focused on the legacy Rome left in the highlands the empire dubbed CaledoniaTue, 09 Jun 2026 19:55:13 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-rare-intricate-brooch-represents-the-roman-empires-long-disjointed-attempt-to-conquer-scotland-180988923/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/people-across-cultures-find-womens-faces-to-be-more-attractive-than-mens-a-new-study-suggests-180988914/In many species of wild animals, males have flashier features than females to help them attract mates. But scientists have long noticed that humans seem to be an exception, with women often being considered the "fairer sex"Tue, 09 Jun 2026 19:14:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/people-across-cultures-find-womens-faces-to-be-more-attractive-than-mens-a-new-study-suggests-180988914/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cute-little-guy-scientists-discover-a-tiny-blue-species-of-octopus-by-the-galapagos-islands-180988919/The palm-size creature was spotted and collected during a research expedition more than a decade ago, but scientists have just identified it as a previously undescribed speciesTue, 09 Jun 2026 18:33:26 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cute-little-guy-scientists-discover-a-tiny-blue-species-of-octopus-by-the-galapagos-islands-180988919/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/more-than-100000-illegal-exotic-cockroaches-were-seized-by-australian-authorities-in-a-record-setting-bug-bust-180988913/The insects are estimated to be worth up to $141,000, according to Australia's Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water. Exotic cockroaches could harm the country’s wildlife and agricultureTue, 09 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/more-than-100000-illegal-exotic-cockroaches-were-seized-by-australian-authorities-in-a-record-setting-bug-bust-180988913/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-did-stonehenge-get-its-altar-stone-new-research-reveals-evidence-adding-to-the-debate-between-human-effort-and-glacier-transport-180988918/Ice flow modeling and geological analyses suggest it's possible that glaciers carried the stone part of the way during the last Ice Age. However, scientists say that scenario is unlikelyMon, 08 Jun 2026 22:33:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-did-stonehenge-get-its-altar-stone-new-research-reveals-evidence-adding-to-the-debate-between-human-effort-and-glacier-transport-180988918/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/trail-camera-photos-capture-rare-antelopes-in-a-kenya-forest-where-conservationists-once-feared-they-had-vanished-180988904/Fewer than 100 mountain bongos are thought to live in the wild, and the new discovery reveals a crucial habitat for the critically endangered creaturesMon, 08 Jun 2026 20:38:19 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/trail-camera-photos-capture-rare-antelopes-in-a-kenya-forest-where-conservationists-once-feared-they-had-vanished-180988904/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-italian-teenagers-stayed-overnight-at-their-school-they-found-ancient-roman-ruins-hidden-in-the-basement-180988917/Students at a high school in Rome stumbled upon a well-preserved villa that dates to the mid-second century C.E. Eventually, archaeologists hope to open the sprawling space to the publicMon, 08 Jun 2026 20:01:05 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-italian-teenagers-stayed-overnight-at-their-school-they-found-ancient-roman-ruins-hidden-in-the-basement-180988917/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-first-nasas-experimental-x-59-plane-flew-faster-than-the-speed-of-sound-setting-the-stage-for-quiet-supersonic-aircraft-180988916/The United States banned supersonic flights over its land in 1973 due to their ear-splitting sonic booms. Experts are building a plane that should travel at those speeds but create only gentle thumpsMon, 08 Jun 2026 20:00:34 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-first-nasas-experimental-x-59-plane-flew-faster-than-the-speed-of-sound-setting-the-stage-for-quiet-supersonic-aircraft-180988916/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rediscovered-drawings-john-lennon-helped-create-for-the-beatles-became-one-of-rock-n-rolls-first-music-videos-180988915/An English collector who acquired ten of the drawings at an auction loaned them to the Liverpool Beatles Museum for a temporary exhibitionMon, 08 Jun 2026 19:33:14 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rediscovered-drawings-john-lennon-helped-create-for-the-beatles-became-one-of-rock-n-rolls-first-music-videos-180988915/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/which-memes-deserve-digital-preservation-see-the-online-videos-the-british-film-institute-selected-for-a-new-archive-180988912/Viral videos, tutorials, vlogs and livestream snippets produced across decades offer insight into modern culture and communication, archivists say. This material could be lost without efforts to save itMon, 08 Jun 2026 18:04:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/which-memes-deserve-digital-preservation-see-the-online-videos-the-british-film-institute-selected-for-a-new-archive-180988912/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-the-witch-croc-a-strange-ancient-crocodile-relative-with-two-legs-and-no-teeth-that-roamed-new-mexico-during-the-triassic-180988909/The reptile, a dinosaur look-alike called a shuvosaur, represents a long-awaited discovery that helps paleontologists fill a gap in the fossil recordMon, 08 Jun 2026 16:09:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-the-witch-croc-a-strange-ancient-crocodile-relative-with-two-legs-and-no-teeth-that-roamed-new-mexico-during-the-triassic-180988909/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-colorful-parakeet-had-been-seen-only-once-over-the-past-century-birders-just-rediscovered-it-in-an-unexplored-indonesian-forest-180988907/First described in the 1920s from seven specimens, the blue-fronted lorikeet hadn't been spotted since 2014. Bird-watchers on a recent trek snapped photos of the rare bird and captured the first known audio recordings of its callsMon, 08 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-colorful-parakeet-had-been-seen-only-once-over-the-past-century-birders-just-rediscovered-it-in-an-unexplored-indonesian-forest-180988907/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-shipwreck-almost-beyond-belief-stunned-archaeologists-in-norway-with-its-cargo-of-intact-porcelain-dishes-and-luxury-goods-180988910/So far, archaeologists have recovered 40 artifacts from the discovery, an 18th-century shipwreck that likely will yield thousands more treasuresFri, 05 Jun 2026 22:07:44 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-shipwreck-almost-beyond-belief-stunned-archaeologists-in-norway-with-its-cargo-of-intact-porcelain-dishes-and-luxury-goods-180988910/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-supermassive-black-hole-at-the-heart-of-our-galaxy-seems-to-be-blowing-wind-just-as-scientists-long-theorized-180988908/Scientists have been searching for evidence of this breeze since the 1970s. They've seen intense wind from other black holes, but they've struggled to observe the one at the Milky Way's centerFri, 05 Jun 2026 19:34:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-supermassive-black-hole-at-the-heart-of-our-galaxy-seems-to-be-blowing-wind-just-as-scientists-long-theorized-180988908/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/sagrada-familia-basilica-has-been-rising-above-barcelona-for-144-years-with-its-central-tower-now-complete-pope-leo-XIV-prepares-to-visit-180988906/When Antoni Gaudí dreamed up his ambitious vision for Sagrada Família, he knew he wouldn't live to see its completion. One hundred years after the architect's death, the tallest tower has reached its peakFri, 05 Jun 2026 19:14:25 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/sagrada-familia-basilica-has-been-rising-above-barcelona-for-144-years-with-its-central-tower-now-complete-pope-leo-XIV-prepares-to-visit-180988906/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/catch-a-surprising-glimpse-at-wwii-leader-winston-churchills-pastime-painting-at-the-first-major-british-retrospective-since-his-death-180988905/More than 50 canvases on view in London detail the prime minister’s quieter moments away from wars, speeches and politicsFri, 05 Jun 2026 17:49:49 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/catch-a-surprising-glimpse-at-wwii-leader-winston-churchills-pastime-painting-at-the-first-major-british-retrospective-since-his-death-180988905/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-have-been-studying-these-salamanders-for-more-than-250-years-they-just-discovered-the-creatures-glow-under-uv-light-180988900/Fire salamanders—one of Europe's most well-researched amphibians—are biofluorescent, which means they can absorb light from an external source at one wavelength, then re-emit it at anotherFri, 05 Jun 2026 15:09:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-have-been-studying-these-salamanders-for-more-than-250-years-they-just-discovered-the-creatures-glow-under-uv-light-180988900/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-determines-royalty-among-honeybees-not-just-a-distinct-diet-queens-also-need-specially-built-regal-chambers-a-study-suggests-180988899/The peanut-shaped compartments where future queens grow up seem to play an important role in development. The wax has chemical and physical differences from that in other parts of the hiveFri, 05 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-determines-royalty-among-honeybees-not-just-a-distinct-diet-queens-also-need-specially-built-regal-chambers-a-study-suggests-180988899/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/shipwrecks-discovered-near-the-bahamas-tantalize-researchers-with-possible-ties-to-the-real-pirates-of-the-caribbean-180988901/A team of archaeologists and filmmakers got permission to dive in the closed zone of the Nassau harbor and discovered six wrecks, including three with suspected ties to the era of piracyFri, 05 Jun 2026 13:43:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/shipwrecks-discovered-near-the-bahamas-tantalize-researchers-with-possible-ties-to-the-real-pirates-of-the-caribbean-180988901/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-rescued-and-restored-alice-in-wonderland-mural-painted-for-sick-children-at-a-new-york-hospital-180988898/Abram Champanier’s "Alice of Wonderland Visiting New York" was a commission from the Federal Art Project, a New Deal program that championed American art in public spacesThu, 04 Jun 2026 20:24:32 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-rescued-and-restored-alice-in-wonderland-mural-painted-for-sick-children-at-a-new-york-hospital-180988898/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-made-sourdough-bread-with-yeast-found-on-otzi-the-icemans-mummified-body-180988894/Discovered in the Alps in 1991, the remains are home to a wide variety of bacteria, fungi and yeastsThu, 04 Jun 2026 19:02:45 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-made-sourdough-bread-with-yeast-found-on-otzi-the-icemans-mummified-body-180988894/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasa-officially-ends-the-maven-mission-months-after-losing-contact-with-the-mars-orbiter-180988897/The agency last heard from the spacecraft on December 6. Recovered fragmentary data suggest that MAVEN was spinning unexpectedly, hinting at a change in its trajectory and draining its batteriesThu, 04 Jun 2026 18:51:26 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasa-officially-ends-the-maven-mission-months-after-losing-contact-with-the-mars-orbiter-180988897/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/george-washington-recorded-a-recipe-for-beer-while-leading-a-militia-thanks-to-the-new-york-public-library-you-can-imbibe-that-history-this-summer-180988896/To celebrate America's 250th birthday, the library partnered with a brewery to produce the founding father's beer — and an updated version more pleasing to modern palatesThu, 04 Jun 2026 17:20:05 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/george-washington-recorded-a-recipe-for-beer-while-leading-a-militia-thanks-to-the-new-york-public-library-you-can-imbibe-that-history-this-summer-180988896/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tongas-enormous-volcanic-eruption-cleaned-up-part-of-its-own-methane-emissions-in-2022-hinting-at-a-way-to-fight-climate-change-180988893/Researchers analyzed satellite imagery of the volcanic plume and found evidence that the potent greenhouse gas had broken down. The work could inform artificial interventions aiming to mitigate global warming, scientists sayThu, 04 Jun 2026 16:14:18 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tongas-enormous-volcanic-eruption-cleaned-up-part-of-its-own-methane-emissions-in-2022-hinting-at-a-way-to-fight-climate-change-180988893/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/glittering-gold-can-stay-shiny-for-centuries-scientists-say-theyve-figured-out-why-the-precious-metal-is-so-resistant-to-tarnishing-180988881/When the metal is split, the atoms on its surface rearrange themselves into a very stable pattern that doesn't easily react with oxygen in the air, a study suggestsThu, 04 Jun 2026 15:26:59 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/glittering-gold-can-stay-shiny-for-centuries-scientists-say-theyve-figured-out-why-the-precious-metal-is-so-resistant-to-tarnishing-180988881/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-spectacular-gold-and-gemstone-ring-a-roman-likely-buried-for-safekeeping-1700-years-ago-180988891/The ring, discovered in an English field and deemed a "treasure," has ties to a power grab that a military leader made in Roman BritainThu, 04 Jun 2026 15:03:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-spectacular-gold-and-gemstone-ring-a-roman-likely-buried-for-safekeeping-1700-years-ago-180988891/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-american-submarine-USS-Herring-lost-during-WWII-along-with-83-crew-members-has-been-discovered-in-the-pacific-ocean-180988895/The honors-earning USS "Herring" sank in 1944 after taking down Japanese shipsThu, 04 Jun 2026 01:58:33 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-american-submarine-USS-Herring-lost-during-WWII-along-with-83-crew-members-has-been-discovered-in-the-pacific-ocean-180988895/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/can-a-hedgehog-replace-winston-churchill-see-which-animals-may-soon-swap-in-for-historical-figures-on-british-pounds-180988890/Butterflies, dolphins and puffins are among the options the public will vote on to grace new bank notesWed, 03 Jun 2026 20:37:28 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/can-a-hedgehog-replace-winston-churchill-see-which-animals-may-soon-swap-in-for-historical-figures-on-british-pounds-180988890/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/google-wants-to-release-32-million-mosquitoes-in-california-and-florida-heres-why-180988892/The company is asking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for permission to release millions of sterilized mosquitoes in order to fight their disease-spreading counterpartsWed, 03 Jun 2026 19:04:37 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/google-wants-to-release-32-million-mosquitoes-in-california-and-florida-heres-why-180988892/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mathematicians-puzzled-over-a-famous-problem-for-80-years-now-theyve-used-ai-to-identify-a-clever-solution-180988889/In 1946, the mathematician Paul Erdős posed the unit distance problem—and suggested a winning strategy. An A.I. model has now landed on a better one. Why didn't humans get there first?Wed, 03 Jun 2026 16:14:17 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mathematicians-puzzled-over-a-famous-problem-for-80-years-now-theyve-used-ai-to-identify-a-clever-solution-180988889/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/secrets-from-centuries-of-paris-history-are-emerging-from-archaeological-digs-after-the-notre-dame-cathedral-fire-180988886/Ahead of planned redevelopment around the iconic Gothic landmark, researchers are digging into the city’s past, through medieval and Roman layersWed, 03 Jun 2026 14:13:52 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/secrets-from-centuries-of-paris-history-are-emerging-from-archaeological-digs-after-the-notre-dame-cathedral-fire-180988886/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-excavating-a-monastery-in-spain-identified-the-remains-of-a-14th-century-queen-and-multiple-skeletons-buried-in-the-wrong-graves-180988877/The tomb of Elisenda of Montcada has long fascinated experts. But the team was surprised to learn that burials supposedly belonging to a medieval knight and abbess held entirely different individualsWed, 03 Jun 2026 13:01:56 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-excavating-a-monastery-in-spain-identified-the-remains-of-a-14th-century-queen-and-multiple-skeletons-buried-in-the-wrong-graves-180988877/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-do-pigeons-find-their-way-home-new-research-suggests-the-birds-remarkable-navigational-skills-come-from-their-livers-180988884/The birds might use the organs' iron-rich immune cells as internal compasses on overcast days, when they must rely on Earth’s magnetic field, instead of the sun’s light cues, for navigationTue, 02 Jun 2026 21:21:04 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-do-pigeons-find-their-way-home-new-research-suggests-the-birds-remarkable-navigational-skills-come-from-their-livers-180988884/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-century-after-causing-controversy-red-cave-markings-in-wales-are-classified-again-as-britains-oldest-rock-art-180988879/The team of scientists used modern dating methods to confirm an old hypothesis by the rock art’s initial discoverersTue, 02 Jun 2026 20:59:14 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-century-after-causing-controversy-red-cave-markings-in-wales-are-classified-again-as-britains-oldest-rock-art-180988879/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-say-theyve-discovered-little-lab-zombies-seemingly-immortal-tissue-taken-from-sea-cucumbers-180988880/Chunks removed from the marine creatures more than three years ago haven't degraded and show signs of biological activity, raising questions about what it means to be aliveTue, 02 Jun 2026 19:56:38 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-say-theyve-discovered-little-lab-zombies-seemingly-immortal-tissue-taken-from-sea-cucumbers-180988880/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/someone-stole-a-banana-duct-taped-to-the-wall-of-a-french-museum-one-of-its-twins-fetched-more-than-6-million-at-auction-180988878/This isn't the first time the fruit at the center of the infamous "Comedian" art piece has been stolen or eatenTue, 02 Jun 2026 17:43:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/someone-stole-a-banana-duct-taped-to-the-wall-of-a-french-museum-one-of-its-twins-fetched-more-than-6-million-at-auction-180988878/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-experimental-ebola-treatments-and-vaccines-might-help-slow-the-outbreak-spreading-in-the-congo-and-uganda-who-says-180988872/No approved therapeutics exist for the virus species causing the outbreak, which has been associated with more than 1,000 cases of Ebola. The World Health Organization has identified several therapeutics to test in clinical trials in the coming monthsTue, 02 Jun 2026 16:11:33 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-experimental-ebola-treatments-and-vaccines-might-help-slow-the-outbreak-spreading-in-the-congo-and-uganda-who-says-180988872/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-human-ancestors-walk-on-their-knuckles-like-todays-chimpanzees-new-research-adds-more-evidence-to-the-debate-180988876/After investigating thousands of wrist bones, scientists suspect the last common ancestor species of humans and chimpanzees may have navigated the world on its knucklesTue, 02 Jun 2026 15:36:17 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-human-ancestors-walk-on-their-knuckles-like-todays-chimpanzees-new-research-adds-more-evidence-to-the-debate-180988876/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/playful-youngster-see-the-rare-endangered-przewalskis-horse-born-at-the-bronx-zoo-180988873/The foal was born on April 21 and is now romping around with the rest of the herd in the zoo's seasonal Wild Asia Monorail exhibit. It belongs to a species whose members are often considered the last truly wild horsesMon, 01 Jun 2026 21:32:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/playful-youngster-see-the-rare-endangered-przewalskis-horse-born-at-the-bronx-zoo-180988873/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-gouged-out-testicles-of-this-bull-mosaic-in-italy-are-just-two-more-victims-of-tourists-abusing-monuments-for-luck-180988870/It's common for visitors to touch intimate areas portrayed in artworks, but the phenomenon puts cultural icons at riskMon, 01 Jun 2026 19:31:57 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-gouged-out-testicles-of-this-bull-mosaic-in-italy-are-just-two-more-victims-of-tourists-abusing-monuments-for-luck-180988870/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-bright-meteor-lit-up-the-new-england-sky-before-exploding-with-a-loud-boom-and-its-pieces-may-have-landed-in-cape-cod-bay-180988869/People reported seeing the glowing space rock or hearing or feeling its breakup from Delaware to Montreal. Experts estimate that it was about three feet wide and traveling at 75,000 miles per hour when it broke apartMon, 01 Jun 2026 18:44:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-bright-meteor-lit-up-the-new-england-sky-before-exploding-with-a-loud-boom-and-its-pieces-may-have-landed-in-cape-cod-bay-180988869/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/asphalt-is-the-canvas-for-this-years-world-street-painting-festival-in-joplin-missouri-which-honors-100-years-of-route-66-180988868/Immersive paintings, which function as massive optical illusions, pay tribute to the "Mother Road" and its influence on American cultureMon, 01 Jun 2026 17:30:55 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/asphalt-is-the-canvas-for-this-years-world-street-painting-festival-in-joplin-missouri-which-honors-100-years-of-route-66-180988868/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/could-bug-spray-attract-mosquitoes-lab-insects-learned-that-the-smell-of-deet-would-lead-them-to-a-tasty-treat-180988866/Researchers don't know how the findings might overlap with real-world settings. But the discovery suggests that we're most vulnerable when our insect repellent is wearing off, meaning we should reapply it regularlyMon, 01 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/could-bug-spray-attract-mosquitoes-lab-insects-learned-that-the-smell-of-deet-would-lead-them-to-a-tasty-treat-180988866/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/korean-and-french-culture-are-set-to-rendezvous-at-a-new-museum-in-seoul-for-modern-and-contemporary-art-180988864/The Centre Pompidou Hanwha, the newest member of a growing global network of art museums, will debut with an exhibition on European cubism and Korean artSun, 31 May 2026 19:01:41 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/korean-and-french-culture-are-set-to-rendezvous-at-a-new-museum-in-seoul-for-modern-and-contemporary-art-180988864/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/four-rare-guam-kingfisher-chicks-hatch-at-virginia-facility-making-an-incredibly-valuable-addition-to-the-small-population-of-extinct-in-the-wild-birds-180988863/The species, also known as the sihek, was wiped out from its native Guam and kept alive in captivity. Conservationists released some birds on Palmyra Atoll in 2024, and they have been thriving so farFri, 29 May 2026 21:00:41 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/four-rare-guam-kingfisher-chicks-hatch-at-virginia-facility-making-an-incredibly-valuable-addition-to-the-small-population-of-extinct-in-the-wild-birds-180988863/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-600-year-old-chinese-surgical-instruments-are-coated-in-an-early-local-anestheticcarefully-extracted-from-a-poisonous-plant-180988865/Researchers say the numbing agent splashed onto iron scissors and tweezers during a procedure. They were found in a Ming dynasty doctor's tombFri, 29 May 2026 20:15:09 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-600-year-old-chinese-surgical-instruments-are-coated-in-an-early-local-anestheticcarefully-extracted-from-a-poisonous-plant-180988865/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/happy-an-asian-elephant-who-demonstrated-that-her-species-might-be-self-aware-dies-at-55-at-the-bronx-zoo-180988861/In research reported about 20 years ago, Happy appeared to recognize herself in a mirror. She was later the subject of a failed lawsuit claiming that elephants should have certain fundamental human rightsFri, 29 May 2026 18:23:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/happy-an-asian-elephant-who-demonstrated-that-her-species-might-be-self-aware-dies-at-55-at-the-bronx-zoo-180988861/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/using-colorful-kibble-artists-turn-mona-lisa-the-scream-and-the-kiss-into-museum-masterpieces-that-mans-best-friend-can-appreciate-180988860/Sisters from New Jersey spent two months recreating famous artworks while also making sure their dog didn’t get into the edible art suppliesFri, 29 May 2026 18:16:59 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/using-colorful-kibble-artists-turn-mona-lisa-the-scream-and-the-kiss-into-museum-masterpieces-that-mans-best-friend-can-appreciate-180988860/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-hilma-af-klint-the-occultist-who-believed-otherworldly-spirits-told-her-what-to-paint-now-shes-considered-one-of-historys-first-abstract-artists-180988859/The Swedish painter created bold, vibrant works as early as 1906—several years before contemporaries like Wassily Kandinsky. A new exhibition in France celebrates her sweeping "Paintings for the Temple" seriesFri, 29 May 2026 16:08:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-hilma-af-klint-the-occultist-who-believed-otherworldly-spirits-told-her-what-to-paint-now-shes-considered-one-of-historys-first-abstract-artists-180988859/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tyrannosaurus-rex-and-other-terrifying-predatory-dinosaurs-had-itty-bitty-arms-scientists-may-have-finally-figured-out-why-180988803/A new study suggests that certain theropods—two-legged, mostly meat-eating dinosaurs—had shrunken forelimbs as an evolutionary trade-off for their strong skullsFri, 29 May 2026 15:53:48 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tyrannosaurus-rex-and-other-terrifying-predatory-dinosaurs-had-itty-bitty-arms-scientists-may-have-finally-figured-out-why-180988803/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-new-quarter-honoring-thomas-jefferson-and-the-declaration-of-independence-that-enters-circulation-next-week-ahead-of-americas-250th-birthday-180988843/The design is one of several coin denominations, and the third of five new quarters, made specially for the country’s semiquincentennialFri, 29 May 2026 15:46:12 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-new-quarter-honoring-thomas-jefferson-and-the-declaration-of-independence-that-enters-circulation-next-week-ahead-of-americas-250th-birthday-180988843/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/pigeon-bones-found-at-an-ancient-cyprus-settlement-reveal-that-our-relationship-with-these-birds-began-earlier-than-we-thought-180988791/Before common pigeons were considered urban pests, people domesticated them and relied on them for meat, fertilizer, messages and more. A new study suggests humans have lived alongside the winged creatures for at least 3,400 yearsFri, 29 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/pigeon-bones-found-at-an-ancient-cyprus-settlement-reveal-that-our-relationship-with-these-birds-began-earlier-than-we-thought-180988791/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ona-judge-escaped-from-slavery-while-george-washington-was-eating-dinner-inside-now-new-mural-honors-her-legacy-180988851/The artwork in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, shows Judge arriving in the city after her journey from Philadelphia in May 1796. She remained a free woman until her death in 1848Thu, 28 May 2026 20:07:08 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ona-judge-escaped-from-slavery-while-george-washington-was-eating-dinner-inside-now-new-mural-honors-her-legacy-180988851/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-smaller-than-usual-blue-moon-will-end-the-month-with-a-lunar-spectacle-heres-what-to-know-about-the-full-micromoon-180988854/The blue moon will be the second of two full moons in the same month, a coincidence that only takes place about every two and a half years. It will also appear to be slightly smaller and dimmer than the average full moonThu, 28 May 2026 19:40:08 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-smaller-than-usual-blue-moon-will-end-the-month-with-a-lunar-spectacle-heres-what-to-know-about-the-full-micromoon-180988854/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/leonora-carrington-is-no-mere-muse-this-influential-surrealist-artist-and-feminist-gets-her-due-in-a-new-biopic-and-art-exhibitions-180988844/Leonora Carrington's life and work are celebrated with the new film "Leonora in the Morning Light." Meanwhile, an exhibition at the Freud Museum showcases for the first time artwork she created inside a psychiatric hospitalThu, 28 May 2026 19:26:51 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/leonora-carrington-is-no-mere-muse-this-influential-surrealist-artist-and-feminist-gets-her-due-in-a-new-biopic-and-art-exhibitions-180988844/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/giant-destructive-hail-is-becoming-more-common-with-climate-change-study-says-180988849/As the atmosphere warms, the potential for hail as large as a grapefruit is growingThu, 28 May 2026 19:02:02 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/giant-destructive-hail-is-becoming-more-common-with-climate-change-study-says-180988849/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/englands-most-famous-naked-giant-will-glow-white-again-thanks-to-help-from-hundreds-of-people-performing-a-ritual-of-restoration-180988848/The Cerne Abbas Giant, a 180-foot-tall geoglyph in southern England, is getting a new layer of chalkThu, 28 May 2026 18:09:21 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/englands-most-famous-naked-giant-will-glow-white-again-thanks-to-help-from-hundreds-of-people-performing-a-ritual-of-restoration-180988848/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/young-blue-crabs-have-been-mysteriously-dwindling-in-the-chesapeake-bay-for-years-this-winter-they-saw-a-boost-in-numbers-whats-driving-these-trends-180988839/A recent report detailed a 50 percent drop in juvenile Chesapeake blue crabs since 2010. Then, a survey found a surprising surge in the young crustaceans this yearThu, 28 May 2026 15:10:52 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/young-blue-crabs-have-been-mysteriously-dwindling-in-the-chesapeake-bay-for-years-this-winter-they-saw-a-boost-in-numbers-whats-driving-these-trends-180988839/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-do-you-honor-a-fallen-tree-in-england-a-sound-sculpture-will-broadcast-the-voice-of-a-beloved-sycamore-felled-near-hadrians-wall-180988832/"The People’s Tree" will also incorporate the tree's wood and archive recordings from the public in a series of community artworksWed, 27 May 2026 20:51:42 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-do-you-honor-a-fallen-tree-in-england-a-sound-sculpture-will-broadcast-the-voice-of-a-beloved-sycamore-felled-near-hadrians-wall-180988832/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasa-unveils-new-details-about-the-future-moon-base-and-the-missions-laying-the-groundwork-to-build-it-180988837/The first three missions are targeted to launch this year. They’ll involve lunar landers developed by several aerospace companies, including Blue Origin, and deliver scientific instruments and a roverWed, 27 May 2026 20:47:37 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasa-unveils-new-details-about-the-future-moon-base-and-the-missions-laying-the-groundwork-to-build-it-180988837/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-medieval-manuscript-telling-tales-of-king-arthur-in-ink-and-polished-gold-thats-headed-to-auction-180988835/The manuscript was made by a skilled, anonymous artist between 1290 and 1310. It's the oldest of only three privately owned Vulgate Cycle manuscriptsWed, 27 May 2026 19:29:28 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-medieval-manuscript-telling-tales-of-king-arthur-in-ink-and-polished-gold-thats-headed-to-auction-180988835/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-1776-angry-new-yorkers-tore-down-a-statue-of-george-iii-with-a-revolutionary-fervor-a-new-exhibition-lets-you-do-it-too-180988830/New York City played a pivotal role in the American Revolution. This museum brings the city's 18th-century history to life through artifacts, immersive environments and interactive experiencesWed, 27 May 2026 19:00:45 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-1776-angry-new-yorkers-tore-down-a-statue-of-george-iii-with-a-revolutionary-fervor-a-new-exhibition-lets-you-do-it-too-180988830/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-illuminating-new-museum-hidden-beneath-the-lincoln-memorial-is-set-to-open-to-the-public-heres-what-you-can-expect-180988831/Tickets for the Lincoln Memorial undercroft museum are now available to reserve. When the attraction opens on June 25, visitors will get to see the D.C. landmark from a whole new perspectiveWed, 27 May 2026 17:21:44 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-illuminating-new-museum-hidden-beneath-the-lincoln-memorial-is-set-to-open-to-the-public-heres-what-you-can-expect-180988831/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-used-ai-to-redesign-a-microbes-machinery-to-function-without-a-key-ingredient-of-life-180988802/Although the researchers did not create an entire cell that could function without a crucial building block, the findings represent a big step in synthetic biology and provide a glimpse at how Earth’s earliest organisms may have livedWed, 27 May 2026 15:46:47 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-used-ai-to-redesign-a-microbes-machinery-to-function-without-a-key-ingredient-of-life-180988802/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/daddy-longlegs-seem-to-hunt-frogs-in-south-america-revealing-the-gangly-arachnids-as-long-overlooked-predators-180988810/A new study suggests that harvestmen actively attack the slippery amphibians, rather than just scavenging them. The findings hint that the spineless creatures have a more complex relationship with vertebrates than previously thoughtWed, 27 May 2026 13:00:23 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/daddy-longlegs-seem-to-hunt-frogs-in-south-america-revealing-the-gangly-arachnids-as-long-overlooked-predators-180988810/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-shipwreck-but-make-it-fashion-researchers-transformed-wooden-fragments-from-a-17th-century-shipwreck-into-a-pair-of-stylish-maxi-dresses-180988825/Scientists at Aalto University in Finland saved pieces of the Hahtiperä wreck and turned them into textile fibersTue, 26 May 2026 21:20:44 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-shipwreck-but-make-it-fashion-researchers-transformed-wooden-fragments-from-a-17th-century-shipwreck-into-a-pair-of-stylish-maxi-dresses-180988825/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-detect-an-elusive-giant-squid-and-many-other-surprising-marine-animals-off-western-australia-thanks-to-dna-in-the-water-180988812/Mucus, feces, skin and other shed tissue allowed researchers to investigate which creatures have been swimming in two deep-sea canyons without having to observe or catch themTue, 26 May 2026 20:31:59 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-detect-an-elusive-giant-squid-and-many-other-surprising-marine-animals-off-western-australia-thanks-to-dna-in-the-water-180988812/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-4500-year-old-neolithic-hall-replica-rises-at-stonehenge-as-archaeologists-and-volunteers-build-with-prehistoric-tools-and-techniques-180988806/The reconstruction of a prehistoric building, likely originally a place for winter feasts at the nearby Durrington Walls site, will serve as a learning space for studentsTue, 26 May 2026 20:29:45 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-4500-year-old-neolithic-hall-replica-rises-at-stonehenge-as-archaeologists-and-volunteers-build-with-prehistoric-tools-and-techniques-180988806/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-sudden-landslide-triggered-alaskas-2025-mega-tsunami-now-scientists-have-identified-warning-signs-to-predict-similar-events-180988797/Natural disasters like the one at Tracy Arm fjord, about 45 miles south of Juneau, could become more common as climate change alters frigid landscapes, according to researchersTue, 26 May 2026 18:23:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-sudden-landslide-triggered-alaskas-2025-mega-tsunami-now-scientists-have-identified-warning-signs-to-predict-similar-events-180988797/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/whistler-didnt-mean-to-make-his-mourning-mother-an-art-world-star-today-she-is-a-highlight-at-a-major-exhibition-in-london-180988808/Officially titled 'Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1,' James McNeill Whistler’s stoic portrait of his mother has come to define the artist’s style and legacy. The artwork is currently on display in the same city where it was painted more than 150 years agoTue, 26 May 2026 17:56:08 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/whistler-didnt-mean-to-make-his-mourning-mother-an-art-world-star-today-she-is-a-highlight-at-a-major-exhibition-in-london-180988808/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-mere-presence-of-humans-not-just-our-changes-to-the-land-can-alter-wild-animals-behaviors-a-new-study-suggests-180988793/Researchers examined GPS tracking data from thousands of animals representing 37 species and anonymized cellphone location data from 2020, a year of Covid-19 lockdowns, and the previous yearTue, 26 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-mere-presence-of-humans-not-just-our-changes-to-the-land-can-alter-wild-animals-behaviors-a-new-study-suggests-180988793/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-underwater-robot-explores-the-hidden-shipwreck-city-beneath-the-surface-of-this-popular-urban-lake-in-the-pacific-northwest-180988799/Using a remotely operated vehicle, researchers are exploring a long-overlooked piece of Seattle’s maritime historyFri, 22 May 2026 21:25:06 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-underwater-robot-explores-the-hidden-shipwreck-city-beneath-the-surface-of-this-popular-urban-lake-in-the-pacific-northwest-180988799/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/paleontologists-discover-an-ancient-marine-reptile-theyve-dubbed-the-t-rex-of-the-sea-crowning-another-king-of-the-cretaceous-180988792/Scientists figured out that the predators were lumped in with a previously named mosasaur species. The new one, called Tylosaurus rex, could grow to 43 feet long, about the length of a school busFri, 22 May 2026 21:00:26 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/paleontologists-discover-an-ancient-marine-reptile-theyve-dubbed-the-t-rex-of-the-sea-crowning-another-king-of-the-cretaceous-180988792/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/to-mark-americas-250th-birthday-see-the-countrys-most-endangered-places-that-youve-probably-never-heard-of-180988789/From a Revolutionary War battlefield to a civil rights-era safe haven, these historic sites are at risk, according to the latest list from the National Trust for Historic PreservationFri, 22 May 2026 20:20:19 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/to-mark-americas-250th-birthday-see-the-countrys-most-endangered-places-that-youve-probably-never-heard-of-180988789/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-nasas-stunning-new-images-of-mars-captured-during-an-asteroid-bound-spacecrafts-strategic-flyby-180988788/The Psyche mission, on its way to study an asteroid of the same name, approached within 2,864 miles of the red planet on May 15Fri, 22 May 2026 20:14:29 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-nasas-stunning-new-images-of-mars-captured-during-an-asteroid-bound-spacecrafts-strategic-flyby-180988788/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-did-jackson-pollock-hope-to-accomplish-with-this-dizzying-drip-painting-which-just-sold-for-a-record-breaking-181-million-180988794/The Abstract Expressionist is best known for his action paintings, which emphasized the movements of the artist's body during the creative process. "Number 7A, 1948" is now his most expensive work ever auctionedFri, 22 May 2026 19:51:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-did-jackson-pollock-hope-to-accomplish-with-this-dizzying-drip-painting-which-just-sold-for-a-record-breaking-181-million-180988794/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-egyptian-engineering-choices-helped-the-great-pyramid-of-giza-survive-earthquakes-new-research-finds-180988790/Researchers measured vibrations inside and around the pyramid to learn that the structure is surprisingly resilient against seismic tremorsFri, 22 May 2026 18:25:17 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-egyptian-engineering-choices-helped-the-great-pyramid-of-giza-survive-earthquakes-new-research-finds-180988790/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-pill-can-prevent-you-from-getting-covid-19-after-exposure-to-thedisease-causing-virus-according-to-a-clinical-trial-180988784/The drug showed promising results in an international study involving nearly 2,400 participants, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to make an approval decision for it in JuneFri, 22 May 2026 17:53:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-pill-can-prevent-you-from-getting-covid-19-after-exposure-to-thedisease-causing-virus-according-to-a-clinical-trial-180988784/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/belugas-can-recognize-themselves-in-mirrors-joining-a-short-list-of-non-human-species-that-show-signs-of-self-awareness-180988783/The researchers hope that this new understanding of cognition in the toothed whales will increase human empathy and concern for the animals, leading to more efforts to protect themFri, 22 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/belugas-can-recognize-themselves-in-mirrors-joining-a-short-list-of-non-human-species-that-show-signs-of-self-awareness-180988783/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/whalers-didnt-just-sing-sea-shanties-and-seek-adventure-proof-of-laborers-grueling-work-is-in-their-skeletons-buried-in-the-arctic-180988787/Remains buried on Svalbard show the brutal toll whaling took on men in the 17th and 18th centuries. Climate change threatens these kinds of archaeological sites across the ArcticThu, 21 May 2026 21:36:45 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/whalers-didnt-just-sing-sea-shanties-and-seek-adventure-proof-of-laborers-grueling-work-is-in-their-skeletons-buried-in-the-arctic-180988787/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/neptunes-moon-nereid-might-be-the-sole-intact-survivor-of-an-ancient-lunar-collision-180988785/A study suggests that the ice giant's largest moon, Triton, made a dramatic entrance to the Neptunian system long ago, kicking Nereid outward and destroying the planet's other original lunar companionsThu, 21 May 2026 20:16:29 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/neptunes-moon-nereid-might-be-the-sole-intact-survivor-of-an-ancient-lunar-collision-180988785/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-oldest-bridge-in-paris-was-swallowed-overnight-by-a-giant-inflatable-cave-in-latest-artwork-by-the-french-banksy-180988781/French street artist JR chose the Pont Neuf bridge as the canvas for his latest larger-than-life art installation, created with audio accompaniment by a Daft Punk musicianThu, 21 May 2026 19:04:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-oldest-bridge-in-paris-was-swallowed-overnight-by-a-giant-inflatable-cave-in-latest-artwork-by-the-french-banksy-180988781/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/as-survivor-marks-its-50th-season-finale-the-smithsonian-acquires-immunity-necklaces-and-other-props-from-the-iconic-reality-tv-show-180988780/Items from the first and most recent seasons of the hit program will be added to the permanent collection of the National Museum of American HistoryThu, 21 May 2026 17:38:57 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/as-survivor-marks-its-50th-season-finale-the-smithsonian-acquires-immunity-necklaces-and-other-props-from-the-iconic-reality-tv-show-180988780/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-is-nearly-every-person-right-handed-but-not-every-ape-and-monkey-new-research-explores-the-evolutionary-origins-of-human-handedness-180988776/Brain size and bipedalism are the most likely drivers of our species’ right-hand dominance, according to new researchThu, 21 May 2026 16:28:25 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-is-nearly-every-person-right-handed-but-not-every-ape-and-monkey-new-research-explores-the-evolutionary-origins-of-human-handedness-180988776/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/who-are-the-owners-of-these-nazi-looted-masterpiecesand-could-displaying-them-at-one-of-frances-most-popular-museums-help-track-them-down-180988779/A new permanent display at the Musée d’Orsay showcases artworks that may have been stolen or sold under suspicious circumstances during World War II. Officials are still hoping to find the families of their rightful ownersThu, 21 May 2026 15:02:39 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/who-are-the-owners-of-these-nazi-looted-masterpiecesand-could-displaying-them-at-one-of-frances-most-popular-museums-help-track-them-down-180988779/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/groundbreaking-dna-analysis-identifies-13-million-living-relatives-of-colonial-marylands-earliest-settlers-180988778/Experts compared DNA from 49 skeletons buried in a cemetery in St. Mary's City to genetic data shared by 11.5 million 23andMe users. They also identified what may be the remains of the colony's second governorThu, 21 May 2026 14:49:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/groundbreaking-dna-analysis-identifies-13-million-living-relatives-of-colonial-marylands-earliest-settlers-180988778/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mediterranean-monk-seals-hide-in-underwater-bubble-caves-to-avoid-tourists-during-the-busy-summer-season-a-study-suggests-180988775/Researchers caught the rare pinnipeds resting and sleeping in a secluded chamber on the Greek islet of Formicula. The findings suggest that these small caves should be included in efforts to protect the animals' habitatThu, 21 May 2026 14:40:02 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mediterranean-monk-seals-hide-in-underwater-bubble-caves-to-avoid-tourists-during-the-busy-summer-season-a-study-suggests-180988775/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-canadian-mine-might-release-enough-natural-hydrogen-each-year-to-power-400-homes-hinting-at-an-untapped-source-of-clean-energy-180988773/Many of the country's metal mines are embedded in an ancient rock formation that probably also houses a lot of the resource, referred to as "white hydrogen"Thu, 21 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-canadian-mine-might-release-enough-natural-hydrogen-each-year-to-power-400-homes-hinting-at-an-untapped-source-of-clean-energy-180988773/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-discovered-trove-of-bones-and-teeth-yields-new-clues-to-the-century-old-mystery-of-death-jars-in-laos-180988772/Scientists found bones of 37 people inside a giant stone jar at one of Southeast Asia’s most puzzling archaeological sites. The find suggests a multigenerational burial practiceWed, 20 May 2026 21:08:33 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-discovered-trove-of-bones-and-teeth-yields-new-clues-to-the-century-old-mystery-of-death-jars-in-laos-180988772/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/from-a-medieval-latrine-in-germany-archaeologists-extracted-a-pristine-leather-notebook-that-preserved-latin-cursive-for-centuries-180988771/The writing in the booklet suggests it belonged to an upper-class merchant, who may have had a mishap while using the toilet 800 years agoWed, 20 May 2026 19:11:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/from-a-medieval-latrine-in-germany-archaeologists-extracted-a-pristine-leather-notebook-that-preserved-latin-cursive-for-centuries-180988771/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/gentoo-penguins-may-actually-be-four-different-species-scientists-say-revealing-theyre-not-quite-winners-of-climate-change-after-all-180988769/A new study indicates that the adaptable birds evolved into distinct lineages as isolated populations shifted to match their environmental conditions over time. The work has implications for how conservationists assess threats to gentoosWed, 20 May 2026 19:09:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/gentoo-penguins-may-actually-be-four-different-species-scientists-say-revealing-theyre-not-quite-winners-of-climate-change-after-all-180988769/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-did-crabs-evolve-their-iconic-sideways-scuttle-scientist-traced-it-to-a-200-million-year-old-common-ancestor-180988765/The findings suggest that their famous lateral movement evolved just once. It may have helped the animals rapidly spread and diversify because moving in two directions meant they could easily escape predatorsWed, 20 May 2026 15:57:11 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-did-crabs-evolve-their-iconic-sideways-scuttle-scientist-traced-it-to-a-200-million-year-old-common-ancestor-180988765/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/regularly-wearing-a-cooling-vest-might-help-you-lose-body-fat-according-to-a-new-study-180988767/Participants who were overweight or living with obesity wore the accessories for two hours every morning for six weeks and lost an average of two pounds. The researchers suspect showering or swimming in frigid water could have similar effectsWed, 20 May 2026 13:11:48 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/regularly-wearing-a-cooling-vest-might-help-you-lose-body-fat-according-to-a-new-study-180988767/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/likely-kicked-by-a-kangaroo-this-dingo-healed-a-millennium-ago-thanks-to-help-from-an-aboriginal-community-that-continued-to-honor-it-for-500-years-180988768/New research shows that the ancestors of the Barkindji people in Australia ritually added river mussel shells to a burial site for centuries after the dingo died, suggesting they cared for it deeplyTue, 19 May 2026 21:06:11 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/likely-kicked-by-a-kangaroo-this-dingo-healed-a-millennium-ago-thanks-to-help-from-an-aboriginal-community-that-continued-to-honor-it-for-500-years-180988768/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-bayeux-tapestry-takes-a-journey-for-a-fresh-perspective-as-the-british-museum-prepares-to-lay-the-masterpiece-out-flat-180988764/After spending centuries in France, the 1,000-year-old tapestry depicting the Norman Conquest of England is traveling to its home countryTue, 19 May 2026 20:09:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-bayeux-tapestry-takes-a-journey-for-a-fresh-perspective-as-the-british-museum-prepares-to-lay-the-masterpiece-out-flat-180988764/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/de-extinction-company-says-it-hatched-chicks-from-artificial-eggs-paving-the-way-for-resurrecting-dodos-and-other-bygone-birds-180988766/Colossal Biosciences announced that 26 live baby chickens have emerged from 3D-printed honeycomb structures. But the company does not plan to detail the system in a paper, and its mission has faced criticismTue, 19 May 2026 20:09:04 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/de-extinction-company-says-it-hatched-chicks-from-artificial-eggs-paving-the-way-for-resurrecting-dodos-and-other-bygone-birds-180988766/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-was-this-ancient-roman-soldiers-gravestone-hidden-in-a-louisiana-backyard-archaeologists-solved-the-mystery-and-helped-return-the-artifact-to-italy-180988761/The funerary marker, which surfaced on a New Orleans property last year, once belonged to a Roman soldier who died nearly 2,000 years ago. Officials repatriated the stone in a recent ceremony in RomeTue, 19 May 2026 18:30:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-was-this-ancient-roman-soldiers-gravestone-hidden-in-a-louisiana-backyard-archaeologists-solved-the-mystery-and-helped-return-the-artifact-to-italy-180988761/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mona-lisa-is-moving-to-a-new-home-the-louvre-just-announced-the-architects-who-will-design-her-private-suite-180988763/Visitors will be able to view Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece without touring the rest of the Louvre, and visitor traffic at the museum will be able to grow by three million people annuallyTue, 19 May 2026 18:27:11 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mona-lisa-is-moving-to-a-new-home-the-louvre-just-announced-the-architects-who-will-design-her-private-suite-180988763/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-ten-breathtaking-images-from-the-2026-milky-way-photographer-of-the-year-contest-capture-the-beauty-of-our-galaxy-180988755/The gorgeous astrophotographs highlight the dazzling night sky and remind viewers what we risk losing to light pollutionTue, 19 May 2026 16:03:21 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-ten-breathtaking-images-from-the-2026-milky-way-photographer-of-the-year-contest-capture-the-beauty-of-our-galaxy-180988755/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/millions-of-bright-blue-blobs-called-by-the-wind-sailors-are-littering-beaches-along-the-west-coast-180988759/The strange creatures are washing up on shores across California, Oregon and Washington this spring—and making the coast smell especially fishyTue, 19 May 2026 16:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/millions-of-bright-blue-blobs-called-by-the-wind-sailors-are-littering-beaches-along-the-west-coast-180988759/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/want-to-avoid-having-a-picky-eater-start-exposing-your-kids-to-veggies-super-early-in-the-womb-180988750/In a new study, 3-year-olds who were repeatedly exposed to the taste of bitter kale as fetuses appeared to be less averse to the leafy greens' scent than they were to a food smell they hadn't experienced in uteroTue, 19 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/want-to-avoid-having-a-picky-eater-start-exposing-your-kids-to-veggies-super-early-in-the-womb-180988750/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-woman-buried-in-an-elaborate-roman-coffin-with-precious-grave-goods-was-clearly-cherished-by-her-family-and-her-community-archaeologists-say-180988760/A new exhibition in Colchester, England, site of the first capital of Roman Britain, explores the "Lexden Lady" and her collection of treasuresTue, 19 May 2026 13:41:12 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-woman-buried-in-an-elaborate-roman-coffin-with-precious-grave-goods-was-clearly-cherished-by-her-family-and-her-community-archaeologists-say-180988760/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/stunning-frescoes-in-this-madrid-church-received-a-facelift-but-goya-the-spanish-artist-buried-beneath-them-is-still-missing-his-head-180988756/Goya's frescoes are given new life in a church in Spain that also serves as the final resting place for most of the artist's body. The mystery of his missing skull has inspired poems and artworksMon, 18 May 2026 20:10:47 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/stunning-frescoes-in-this-madrid-church-received-a-facelift-but-goya-the-spanish-artist-buried-beneath-them-is-still-missing-his-head-180988756/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-ebola-outbreak-in-africa-was-declared-a-global-health-emergency-by-the-who-heres-what-to-know-about-the-rare-but-severe-illness-180988758/The international health agency notes that the outbreak does not meet the criteria for a pandemic, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that the risk to the American public is lowMon, 18 May 2026 19:16:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-ebola-outbreak-in-africa-was-declared-a-global-health-emergency-by-the-who-heres-what-to-know-about-the-rare-but-severe-illness-180988758/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/richard-avedon-was-famous-for-snapping-celebrities-like-marilyn-monroe-but-his-images-of-vietnam-war-victims-and-coal-miners-revealed-the-surprising-power-of-portraits-180988757/A new documentary about photographer Richard Avedon, directed by Ron Howard and debuting at the Cannes Film Festival, uses archival footage and contemporary interviews to weave the story of just how far his influence extendsMon, 18 May 2026 18:46:34 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/richard-avedon-was-famous-for-snapping-celebrities-like-marilyn-monroe-but-his-images-of-vietnam-war-victims-and-coal-miners-revealed-the-surprising-power-of-portraits-180988757/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/dimpled-koala-fossil-found-western-australia-revealed-why-previously-unknown-species-died-out-180988719/The new study found that they lost their arboreal habitat due to a drying climate, a dire warning for the modern-day marsupials that face a similar threatMon, 18 May 2026 18:17:09 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/dimpled-koala-fossil-found-western-australia-revealed-why-previously-unknown-species-died-out-180988719/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/can-insects-feel-pain-new-research-suggests-that-crickets-do-180988752/Used for food, feed and research, the critters are among the most widely farmed bugs. The study authors say humans should work to reduce harm in insect farming, handling and experimentationMon, 18 May 2026 16:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/can-insects-feel-pain-new-research-suggests-that-crickets-do-180988752/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-colorful-contemporary-artworks-just-joined-the-hirshhorn-museum-as-the-dc-landmark-celebrated-its-50th-anniversary-180988749/The museum is also preparing to reopen its redesigned sculpture garden, featuring new works from eight artists, this fallMon, 18 May 2026 15:00:18 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-colorful-contemporary-artworks-just-joined-the-hirshhorn-museum-as-the-dc-landmark-celebrated-its-50th-anniversary-180988749/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/humpback-whales-sometimes-hold-their-mouths-open-for-no-clear-reason-tourists-are-helping-scientists-understand-the-rare-behavior-180988743/A trove of photos and videos gathered from social media has helped researchers propose a few possible reasons for the seldom documented action, called "gaping," including communication, jaw stretching and playMon, 18 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/humpback-whales-sometimes-hold-their-mouths-open-for-no-clear-reason-tourists-are-helping-scientists-understand-the-rare-behavior-180988743/